Blog

I recently joined the Summerville Artists Guild and I am really enjoying it. The Guild is a group of artists that get together and create and show their work and talk art. I'm still getting familiar with my new artist group. It is fun meeting other artists and finding shared interests and discovering their styles. Yesterday I went on my first Guild field trip to Edisto Island. I love Edisto beach and everything about the drive there. It is a wonderful place. My intention was to pop up, gather my art supplies and hit the road early for the optimal art experience. Well, surprise, surprise, I didn't leave the house until nearly 11. No worries. I was on my own adventure. I plotted out the shortest route which included a long stretch of dirt road (I wasn't worried because Alishanee and I had already happened upon this road so I knew it was viable) and set off on my adventure. I love driving over the long arching bridge that connects the island to civilization. It's like you are driving up to the sky. As I reached for the clouds, I payed no mind to their darkening edges. Next stop was King's Market. I feel like it is a must. I love their year round giant fields of flowers, but honestly I'm there for the desserts. I decided one of the magnificent pies would be a great hostess gift. It was bustling as usual. They didn't have the chocolate cheesecake I wanted so I got a blackberry cobbler and started back on my excursion through the sprawling, arching trees that form an ancient tunnel over the road. Nearly there, I spotted a new thrift shop, called the Thriftory. Of course I had to stop and meander through the possible treasures. The biggest treasure I found was the mystical old growth tree growing in the center of their back yard. It was tangled with a fat maze of vines. I desperately wanted to touch it. The whole area was full of ancient trees that had such character and charm. I grabbed my camera to capture a few, and discovered my battery was completely dead. My main mission for this trip was gathering photos for some future paintings while sketching and splashing some messy, in the moment studies.

Oh well, back on the road. Now to the store to grab lunch and some whipped cream for the cobbler. The tunnel of trees grew darker and it began to rain. I remembered Victoria said there was a 30 percent chance of rain. As the rain intensified, I gathered my morsels and pondered what the probable percentage was that I would make this journey. The thirty percent downfall developed into a full blown thunderstorm and I started visualizing myself stumbling into the marshy cottage and hunkering down with the other soggy artists. I didn't have any desire to attempt a muddy marsh painting so I drove around and surveyed the beach access side of the island. I resigned myself to park and have a picnic in the car. My grocery store chicken and asiago bread was surprisingly delicious. Not long after my meal was complete, the rain subsided so I gathered all my supplies, minus one useless camera and set off down the beach.
The birds and beachcombers fluttered around as if there had never been a storm. It's just another June in South Carolina.
After an appropriate amount of beachcombing, I sat on a bench and grabbed my sketchbook. Wait, this isn't my brand new sketchbook all ready to document new adventures. This is the tattered notebook full of paper I don't like in the process of deconstructing itself. Oh well, I guess it will do.
The rain started to return so I went back to my car. I envisioned my back hatch area as being a lovely place to sit and paint and I purposely parked so I had a cute fencepost as my subject. As with most things, this did not work out as well as expected. I hunkered on the tailgate trying not to bump my head, while sketching twisty vines.

The results were underwhelming. It started getting muggy in my car so I decided it was time to actually meet up with the rest of the field trip. I drove down the road that led to the marsh side on the island past several beautiful and stylish retreats. I could see the bright green marsh peeking through around and underneath the houses. Since we are in hurricane country, all the houses are built elevated on stilts. Some have parking underneath but most have lovely patio spaces. Victoria's house was one of those houses with the lovely patios. As I walked under her house and upstairs to the screened in porch, I could hear the joyful banter of artists sharing ideas. When they saw me they exclaimed that I was just in time for all of them to leave. There was polite conversation and introductions as they recapped their delightful day of rest and refreshments and gathered their things and left to beat the traffic rush hour. I stayed a little while listening to music and painting lazily with our host and her friend. The light began to wane and I decided my adventure was at it's end. As I drove home I reflected how my intended field trip had taken on a more independent solo experience. Each experience had it's merits. In theory, I would prefer sipping prosecco on a lovely balcony watching boats and birds explore the marsh, but maybe a solo adventure was just what I needed that day. Next time, we will see what happens.

And what of the cobbler? I brought it home and shared it with my family.

Day one Learn to Create Intentionally:

This day was a struggle and got me out of my comfort zone. The instructor, Christine Raymond, @christine.raymond was full of helpful information and insights. She helped me realize the value of preplanning and making small studies. The more I look and the little oil painting I created, the more I love it. I don't know if it will ever dry.
Day two Playing with Stained Glass:

This was my first time getting to work with stained glass and it was radiant. The title of the class was very appropriate. The instructor, Tammy O'Connor, had such a peaceful ease about her, the whole experience seemed like an adventure. The rainbow of colors glistening on the light table were so tantalizing. It hurt a little to limit my pallette to green and brown, but I knew I just had to make my tree. Choosing and arranging the pieces was like solving a puzzle. The whole process was very satisfying. I know that term is used too often lately, but it really was, satisfying.
Day three Paint Plein Air With Ease:

I am halfway through my third workshop and have already almost cried. Did I mention this is a gathering of Christian artists? The instructors and participants are all Jesus loving Christians and the instructors pour out love and encouragement on you like water.

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

I've understood the importance of fellowship with other Christian for a long time, but I have been going it alone as an artist too much. Being in these creative spaces with other Christian artists is filling my heart with joy.

Gabriel Stockton is everything everyone says about him and more. The knowledge he passed on to me in three hours makes me feel like a 30 year beginner.
Lunch is over and the weather if great. It's time for me to boldly paint.
Don't worry,. I'll let you know how it goes. In fact, you can see it on my Plein Pain post

Aug 21, 2022
I have been having the greatest time at the Gathering of Artisans workshop retreat. I posted about them in my last two newsletters here:

https://jadedjoyologist.substack.com/publish/post/69531743

As promised, here is the update on the workshop I attended with instructor, Gabriel Stockton- Painting Plein Air With Ease. Plein air painting means painting outside.

After a few graceful brush strokes and lots of advice on keeping it simple, the instructor sent us out on our mission to find a scenic place and paint it. Then we were to come back in an hour and a half for our class critique. Ridgecrest Conference Center is a beautiful facility with lush gardens and interesting architecture set beneath a backdrop of blue green mountains and dynamic skies. So, no, I couldn't find anything to paint. I loaded my arms with too much stuff and trudged along the paths looking for a place to paint. I was clearly overthinking it. Pretty soon I was hot and tired and lowered my standards. I found a pretty place, but not a pretty scene. Even the picture I took was meh (as my niece would say).


Um, okay.
I set up my complicated easel and started sketching. Instantly someone showed up and started watching me struggle to draw a diagonal line. I could feel his disappointment over my shoulder as he watched me erase and redraw bad lines. We were both relieved when he left. Finally, I scrawled out a scene, ignoring everything I knew about perspective and composition. It was time for the fun part, painting. Halfway through another spectator offered me polite words of encouragement. As time ran out, I sped up, somehow feeling like I needed to finish.

Phew! That was brutal. The critique was painful although the instructor was very good at using positive statements. When I got back to my room I immediately recycled the paper into two new paintings. Tearing it in half felt pretty good. I wasn't going to show the painting but after repurposing it, I felt a little better and decided it is okay to show mistakes, or as Bob Ross would say, “happy accidents.” Against my better judgement I have included it with the reference photo.


Inverted perspective?
Now that the shame has worn off, I love how comedically lopsided the build is with backwards perspective. No wonder I always struggled to teach my students perspective. Buildings are really not my thing.

During the class, while we were all intently watching Mr. Stockton show us how it's done, a butterfly landed on a students hat. That was my inspiration for the replacement painting.


Looking for the perfect view.
I think this one is a little better. Don't go chasing butterflies. I feel like she is looking out for that perfect view and without knowing, beauty lit upon her.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalms 38:7

Things are always better if we wait on God's time and seek his views.

Greetings friends and followers,

I thought it might be nice to share some of my artwork here and describe the process and inspiration that brought them into being. My 3D assemblage piece “Jellyfish Stew” has a fond place in my heart. I mentioned it in my former newsletter here:

Thanks for reading JADEDjoyologist’s Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.


Subscribed

JADEDjoyologist’s Newsletter
Artist Interrupted
A few years ago I declared myself a joyologist and set off on a journey to share joy with others and be an encourager. I knew full well that joy was not the absence of trials, but the presence of faith. That “peace that passes understanding” was my strength and foundation…
Read more
4 months ago · 1 like · 3 comments · JADEDjoyologist
Share JADEDjoyologist’s Newsletter

I love poems and read a lot of poems to my children while they were growing up. One of our favorites was Jellyfish Stew, by Jack Prelutsky. It is a silly poem about longing to eat something that sounds absolutely horrific. I would read it aloud exaggerating all the best parts and my kids would giggle and exclaim, “OOOOh, Yuck!” It was wonderfully awful.

When I found a brittle cistern in the Carr Fire collection of rubble, I instantly saw a jellyfish. I am not sure how long it took for the poem to come to mind, but as I collected bubbles and spoons, it became more obvious what I needed to create. That is what I love about reclaimed assemblage. The items almost speak to you prompting you to bring them to their new existance. I hope you enjoy my soupy masterpiece, “Jellyfish Stew” and the inspiration poem below.


“Jellyfish Stew” 3D assemblage painting by Sheila Preston-Ford
Jellyfish stew

Jellyfish stew,
I'm loony for you,
I dearly adore you,
Oh, truly I do,
You’re creepy to see,
Revolting to chew,
You slide down inside
With a Hullabaloo.

You're soggy, you're smelly,
You taste like shampoo,
You bog down my belly
With oodles of goo,
Yet, I would glue noodles
And prunes to my shoe,
For one oozy spoonful
Of jellyfish stew.

Jack Prelutsky


I would love to hear about your favorite poem.

If you would like to watch me paint with a painfully tiny brush, have I got the video for you. This summer I attended a workshop with artist and Daniel Smith brand ambassador, Gabriel Stockton, where I learned some great information. The main thing I learned is that I was trying to control the paint too much and implementing too small a brush. He inspired me to let loose and give the paint room to have fun. This video does not contain any of that. I made this back in 2020 and looking back, I cringe a little at how long it took me to place each leaf on the trees. I do still love my tiny turtle and thank Sandy for the kayaking inspiration.
You can view the video on my Substack Newsletter here: https://jadedjoyologist.substack.com/p/turtles-and-kayaks

A few years ago I declared myself a joyologist and set off on a journey to share joy with others and be an encourager. I knew full well that joy was not the absence of trials, but the presence of faith. That “peace that passes understanding” was my strength and foundation.


My exhibit at Stronger Than Carr premiere at Redding Civic Auditorium
After a terrible fire tore through our California town, I was struck with grief for so many hurting people. The devastation was overwhelming. I wanted to comfort and restore what was lost. Some people shared amazing stories about how they had been blessed in the tragedy. Digging through the rubble revealed treasures spared from the heat and some things transformed into something beautiful and new. I joined Art From The Ashes to collaborate with other artists to create art out of the destruction. The idea of making something beautiful out of the ugly destruction really spoke to my heart. The melted and charred pieces seemed to call to me. They wanted to be something more.

Thanks for reading JADEDjoyologist’s Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.


Subscribed


From a box of ruble to a piece of art Sun and Moon

Jellyfish Stew by Sheila Preston-Ford private collection
As an artist, I mostly paint realistic watercolors, so working with three dimensional assemblage was new to me. The varied medium really freed me creatively. I was no longer bringing a planned image out from a white sheet of paper, I was transforming and creating something unknown and unexpected with no rules. The limitations of the reclaimed pieces opened my mind to try new things. The puzzle of unifying brittle glass and melted chrome was so satisfying that I would often forget the tragedy behind each fragment.


Art From The Ashes collaboration quilt with my sister and other artists
I donated several pieces to the Art From The Ashes Seeds Of Regrowth art show and my works helped raise money for the community. I later showed and sold one of my favorites in the West Coast Biannual Art Show at Turtle Bay Museum called “Pleasant Landing.”


Pleasant Landing by Sheila Preston-Ford private collection
I had hopes of having my own show as many of my works tied together to tell a story of hope and regrowth. What is it they say about the best laid plans? Well, fast forward through a small car accident, a plandemic, too many fires to count, and a move across the country. Now, as the dust settles I ask myself, “what now?” “Is there an audience for reclaimed fire rubble in a green oasis that never catches fire?” “Do the assemblages work on their own without the background context?” “Do I now have a different story to tell?”


Signs of Hope and Visions of Hope by Sheila Preston-Ford
I'm not sure what the answers are, but I am happy to be in a place where I can finally start asking the questions. Most of my art is still packed in storage along with an embarrassing collection of burnt rubble. I still want to create more assemblage art, but it will have to wait until my home gets built and I have an art studio. For now, I am content to paint my mushroom studies and whatever calls to me next.

And as for my joy, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12

My joy comes from the Lord.


Fusion Redox by Sheila Preston-Ford gifted to CALFIRE
Signed, the not so jaded joyologist


Thanks for reading JADEDjoyologist’s

A mother and daughter showing their work together can be a very special thing. My daughter and I are doing just that this month at Sweet Elena's Bakery and Cafe' in Sand City, California just north of Monterey.

It is easy to see that both artists have a mutual respect for each other's style and talent, but after studying their work, the most compelling attribute is their mutual inspiration. This first ever joint mother daughter show of Sheila Preston-Ford and Miakoda Ford shows a diverse body of work. Sheila's oldest featured works were completed while she was pregnant with her daughter Miakoda. A lioness guarding over her cubs and a thematic self portrait of the artist during her pregnancy in a desert, you can already see, the influence motherhood has had on her subject matter. Her love of nature and wildlife is ever present in Sheila's paintings. There is an increasing prevalence of images of youth and innocence seen in tiny hands playing in a fountain and also curious toes exploring a tide pool. In her newest works, you can see she is embracing a freer style, using unconventional materials and letting her work flow through her from a more intuitive place, no doubt inspired by her free spirited daughter.
Miakoda has always been an artist, with creativity flowing from her with a raw uninhibited style. She has a natural talent for capturing the essence of her subjects and is an excellent storyteller through her images in both painting and photography. Sustainability, preservation and appreciation for our varied ecosystems is her primary focus. With wide open eyes and broad global horizons, anything and everything is a possible subject matter or canvas. Her latest excursion to Norway has inspired her to playfully interact with nature as she photographed her Environmental Art. Her diverse creative eye can be seen in the subtle manipulation of her photographed images.
This mother daughter art show featuring Sheila and Miakoda is the fruit of two artists embracing differences and nurturing similarities as they learn from and inspire each other.

Well, of course my first instinct was a green background, but I have been trying to look at color differently lately and try new things. I see a lot of people make some very effective pieces in primary colors, so I had to take a peek at my painting with a yellow background. It was a bit lackluster. The yellow made a rich undercolor to my final green. This painting is of my daughter on her trip to Norway. I just love how my California girl looks so classic and worldly. Happy painting on #worldwatercolormonth

The other day I was told it was #worldwatercolormonth and I thought since I was painting a watercolor at the time I should get to it and share my watercolors. I know I am a little late getting started and about 5 paintings behind, but I would love to start sharing my progress. I started this painting yesterday and am about halfway finished. I started wondering what would be a nice background color. My first thought is a mottled verminian green. I have been wanting to up my color theory game, so I was trying to think of what would contribute the most to the composition. I welcome your input and suggestions. Let me know what you think in the comments. I will post the completed painting soon.