Having Fun “On the Side” with ArtResin

Being an artist and communicating to the world through art is FUN, but I find it’s also important to create outside of my regular daily practice.

I’ve been using resin as a finish and have incorporated it into my work for a number of years. I love experimenting with it as it is unlike any other medium I work with and really gets me thinking outside of the box.

At first I was using it solely as a finish on my paintings and would have extra left over when working with large works (you never want to make too little). After coating my work, I would quickly run around my studio trying to think of interesting ways to experiment with the “leftovers”. I ended up creating a number of really beautiful pieces from those super fast creative induced ideas (ArtResin has a working time of approximately 45minutes, so you have to think fast).

They were so fun, that I now often use ArtResin to do some extra little side projects to give my brain a rest from my own regular art practice. I’ve created a lot of strange things that I usually just give to my kids or friends but I have to say this side project has been the most useful yet!

It’s a mouse pad!

Read on….

I have a 7.5″x7.5″ silicone cake “pan” that I used for the mold (resin doesn’t stick to silicone so I was able to just pop it out of the mold 24hrs later. This is a great size and the cured resin works fantastic with my mouse, I didn’t have to add a finish to it or anything!

Read on…

I dropped alcohol ink (blue magenta and white) into the resin while it is was still in the “workable stage”.
This really creates the most amazing textures that look like droplets frozen in motion. This technique is not new, I have played around with it quite a bit and the results are really fantastic. If you like the looks of this I encourage you to look up “alcohol ink petri dishes” or “petrified rainbows” for some tips.

Read on…

As you can see in these close-ups this technique is really interesting and doesn’t take much to turn out a beautiful piece, but the real winner here was that I have created functional, useful art!
I spend quite a bit of time at my computer and to have this piece of art “on the side” that I created is a reminder that I also need to continue to explore and create outside of my “job”.
An artist needs to continually challenge themselves and get outside of their comfort zone so they have more tools to express themselves. I believe this is key for growth.

Read on….

Now that I have created this very functional piece of art and I know there are other people out there that also have a computer with a mouse (lol) I think I will just have to make more of this very useful work of art for my family and friends. Also the creativity and ideas are limitless… anything can go into these mousepads. You could make these very personal, you could place dried flowers or images or small paintings or drawings or collages or… well you get the point.

read on…


For more great ideas I highly recommend you visit the ArtResin website and also check out all the great work that other artists are creating with resin. Resin can be scary the first time using it, but honestly there are just a few simple steps and if you make sure you prep everything before you start mixing and follow the very easy steps, you will also be able to create some functional art to surround yourself with as a reminder that you too are a very creative human!

Never stop creating!

"Learn to Paint" Program

Art for all Ages – Winter/Spring Art Programs for 6yrs – 100+yrs

I want to wish you and your family a festive and magical holiday season!
My holiday shopping is finally done and I just finished uploading my 2018 winter/spring art programs and it includes a class for you – I know it does because I have programs for all ages this 2018 year.

Check out my “Classes” page or click here

Be sure to register early as most of my programs fill up and are often waitlisted.
Can’t wait to see you in the studio!

It’s time to “Learn to Paint”!

It’s time! August is coming to an end and as we savour these remaining warm evenings and days of outdoor adventure it is a good time to contemplate what we have in store for ourselves this fall.

Take a moment to think about the things you have always wanted to try but just haven’t gotten around to YET.

Now is the time to make those things happen by planning ahead.

Have you ever wanted to learn to paint or just take a class and get creative? I am instructing an Adults “Acrylics – Learn to Paint” program this fall at The Port Moody Arts Centre and this class is a great way to get you on the path. It is the perfect program to ignite your creativity, discover colour and develop technical skill. And there is little commitment or time needed for this 8-week program, all you have to do is show up once a week for 2 hours; all supplies included.

The September-November program runs during the day WHILE THE KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL 10:30am-12:30pm. There is also an evening class November-December 7-9pm for those that can’t get afternoon time off.

Getting creative is not only beneficial for you but also for the people in your life – it is a time for you to unwind and depart from your daily schedule, express yourself and have some “me time”. I often find my students leaving the studio with big smiles and feelings of gratitude for taking the time to focus on themselves; PLUS learning is always empowering.

Can you take the first step and carve out just enough time to register? You’ll be on your way to something new this fall!
For more information phone 604 931 2008 or register https://goo.gl/HGXfVP

Thursdays Sept 14 – Nov 12 10:30am-12:30pm (8 weeks)
Thursdays Nov 12-Dec 21 from 7-9pm (8 weeks)