ABACUS OF UPDATES

Tonight’s the night — Pumpkin Painting Party!

I’ve been testing paints, brushes, and sealers all week (because apparently painting on a pumpkin is trickier than it looks). But I’ve got a game plan ready, and we’re going to have a blast turning these pumpkins into masterpieces. This is a quick pumpkin I designed but everyone will design their own and I can’t wait to see what people come up with!

Starts at 6:30pm tonight at The Exchange in Oil City!
There are still a few spots left — come hang out with Klee and me, learn some fun techniques, have a drink, and paint something awesome.

To reserve your spot, email art@exchangeoc.com

Let’s get messy and creative tonight!

Two months, countless hours, and a whole lot of paint later… here we are.

This mural in Oil City has been one of the most challenging and rewarding journeys I’ve ever taken on as an artist. From the first sketch to standing on this ladder adding the final touches, it’s been pure magic watching the story come to life on these walls.

I’m proud, honored, and honestly a little in awe that I got to be the one to bring this vision into reality for The Exchange in the beautiful town of Oil City. The mural will officially be finished this week, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it in person when you stop in for a drink, some good company, and hopefully a little inspiration from the art that now lives here.

Here’s to creativity, community, and leaving behind a splash of color wherever we can.

As we sit here and think about the amazing people who have supported us and what we do over the years, we can’t help but think you are amazing! It feels so good to share that love of creativity with you. Let’s give a big congratulations to Jessie Stark for winning 3 Little Birds Artist Enhanced Print! I will be emailing you this week with instructions on how to claim your prize. Big thank you to all of you who entered the Raffle! We’ll be announcing a new Raffle at the beginning of May, so stay posted.

With all the craziness going on in our lives, I’ve been thinking about what it means to show up for your art. To show up when inspiration is hiding behind the couch. To show up when the world says “get a real job,” and you respond by raising your brushes like battle flags and whispering, “This IS the real job, Karen.”

Being an artist is not about waiting for divine inspiration while sipping tea in a sunbeam (although if that happens, heck yeah). It’s about diving into the mess. It’s about painting when you’re unsure. It’s about turning self-doubt into brush strokes and fear into something you can hang on a wall.

Those brushes in my hands? They’ve seen some things.
They’ve flung paint in accidental directions.
They’ve created beauty.
They’ve been used to stir coffee (don’t judge me).
They’ve been dropped, broken, chewed on (again—don’t judge me), and still—they keep showing up.

Just like me. No matter what is going on in my life and where I go, I will always return to my creativity. I may take a break, but I will always show up when it counts.

Because creativity isn’t about waiting for permission.
It’s about grabbing the tools you have, standing in your weird socks, and saying:

“Let’s make some freaking magic.”