Happy New Year! For me, 2016 got off to a great start yesterday at Lisa Stamper Meyer’s beautiful studio in Bulverde. Three of us got together with no plan, lots of fantastic art materials to play with (thanks, Lisa!), and a common sense of exploration and play.

It was great. Even though we worked separately, we shared amazing accidental effects, made suggestions, and swiped each other’s ideas shamelessly, honoring them and making them our own as we incorporated collaborative techniques and ideas.

I used Lisa’s pan pastel techniques and added some color to my work that is very new for me – scary but cool:

Experimental encaustic work on board with wax, digital images, watercolor and pan pastels

Other materials that made us say “Oooooh. . .” – an indigo-colored watercolor paint that went over (and under) encaustic wax and a fantastic gold paint stick from Sennelier.

Sidney adds some iridescent gold to her encaustic piece – oooooh . . .

Another perk of working at other artists’ studio is to see what they are up to – I was incredibly inspired by Lisa’s new series of small acrylic and mixed-media paintings. This one (below) went home with me (no, I didn’t steal it, although for the price, it’s definitely a steal). She has more in the yummy series available at The Gallery in Gruene Lake Village.

Acrylic and mixed-media by Lisa Stamper Meyer

So in 2016,  I hereby resolve to work more with (and steal from) other artists  – you should, too (and don’t give me that “I’m not an artist” stuff). It’s immensely helpful. You work to inspire each other, not to compete. And you get to steal like an artist from someone you enjoy working with.

If the word “STEAL” bothers you, please read this great post by Austin Kleon called 25 Quotes to help you steal like an artist.  Here’s one that cracks me up –

“If you have one person you’re influenced by, everyone will say you’re the next whoever. But if you rip off a hundred people, everyone will say you’re so original!”
— Gary Panter

Have a wonderful day – relax, renew and rejoice in our collaborative creativity!