Let’s talk about art books!
Over the past year I have been adding to my art books collection. After following, watching, & listening to other artists, I came to the realization that building a collection of art books is so incredibly helpful. I am not one to keep lots of books on hand. (Yes I love reading but I don’t really like keeping books around.) BUT…… having lots of different kinds of inspiration around me has become important.
I have to use these books differently than what my type A mind would deem acceptable. Let me explain… I like to get a book. Read the book. And then give the book back to the library. I don’t have many books I have re-read. Well I guess if I am being honest, there are none. Type A= accomplish a task and check it off and then move onto the next thing. Efficiency is key.
That’s not how it works with these books. These books sit on my shelf and are not read start to finish. And how hard that was for me to come to grips with at first! I think I can say I have been successful with letting that go. I now just keep collecting and to the other extreme haven’t even gotten to flip through all of them. I guess I could say that’s a good problem to have.
These books are not tasks to be completed. They are meant to be savored. To slow down with. To enjoy in little snippets. And each time one is opened, it offers me a new jumping off point. Leading me in a different direction. Opening up a new world of possibilities. To look at this collection in that way has helped me to let go of the efficiency mind set. And actually, all of my art practice has helped me let go of that. But that’s a topic for another day.
So back to these books. Some of the books are for inspiration. Looking at them for ideas on patterns, marks, colors, etc. Some of the books are for learning. Finding new techniques, learning how to paint with different mediums, drawing, color themes. All the things.
If you are getting into the art world, wanting to be more creative, then let me encourage you to grab some art books. This was overwhelming to me at first. I used the other artists I followed and admired as guides. They would give suggestions. I would look the books up on Amazon. But before purchasing the book I would head to the library and see about checking them out there first. And let me say that has been really helpful. Because I can then get a feel for the book. See if it has things in it that inspire me, help me or get me excited about creating. There have been some that I instantly opened and knew I had to have. There have also been some that I looked through and realized it wasn’t a book for me. And a few in between that I had to think about. But the library is a really useful resource to help with building your own art book library. I also spent some mornings in the shelves of the art section just looking through what was on the shelf. Quite a few times I would come home with books I found on my own. That is also very confidence building. (At least it was for me.) I found those books and decided all on my own that they were good for me.
There is something about an actual physical book. Holding the weight of it in your hands. Feeling the pages turn. Seeing the colors without the screen.
Start your collection!!
I will leave you with a list of the ones that are on my shelf currently. Use that as a jumping off point. Look a few of them up, check them out from the library and then go on a hunt for yourself. Happy reading!
If you would like to see the covers ( I am very visual) check out my Instagram Reel.
ART BOOKS I AM ENJOYING:
Florals by Hand- Alli Koch
The Color Scheme Bible- Anna Starmer
Playing with Paints: Watercolors- Sara Funduk
1500 Color Mixing Recipes- William Powell
Paint Alchemy- Eva Magill-Oliver
Love Colour-Anna Starmer
Arctic Sketchbook- Barbara Rae
15 Minute Art: Watercolor- Jola Sopek
Aphorisms for Artists- Walter Darby Bannard
Make Every Day Creative- Marion Deuchars
Color In and Out of the Garden- Lorence Edwards Forkner
Expressive Abstracts in Acrylic- Anita Horskens
Acrylic Solutions- Chris Cozen & Julie Prichard
Expressive Sketchbooks- Helen Wells
Spectrum- Thames & Hudson
Hanging up in a new space!
I have always thought it would be cool to have my work up in a coffee shop. A few years ago, a local coffee shop was going to put my work up for a month but then plans changed and they closed. {insert sad face}
Well now that dream is realized, and my work is up for the month of March in a different coffee shop thanks to a friend on Instagram sharing with me that they were looking for local artists. {insert HAPPY face}. And what a gem of a coffee shop it is! It’s kind of hidden. I didn’t even pay much attention to it before hand. The vibe is fun. I have heard that the coffee is good. (I am not a coffee drinker but prefer tea. AND they have tea I can have. So double bonus for that!) The staff is incredibly nice. And it’s a good fit for my bright and colorful pieces.
So if you are in the area of West Michigan, make sure to check out Stovetop Roasters in Holland. It’s off 40th st and Lincoln Ave. They do have a Grand Rapids location too. Although my art is only up in the Holland location. You can see if for the month of March. And you can purchase anything that’s up too!
If you can’t make it to Holland to see the display, you can see more pictures on my Instagram account.
Cheers!
Time for getting crafty
Have you ever started scrolling through Pinterest for one reason and then find yourself getting into something totally different? Or the algorithm begins adding new pins to your scroll and they grab your attention, and you are off on that tangent? Thats me!!
So today I wanted to share with you my Pinterest obsession of making your own stamps. I love the idea of printing things. I have played around with Gelli printing and sun prints. And these are equally as fun and maybe a little less messy (at least from the Gelli prints).
SUPPLIES:cardboard (use all those Amazon boxes), foam sheets (if you can use the ones with adhesive on the back then this becomes an easier project), pencil, scissors, paint (not watercolor… think more along the lines of craft paint or acrylic paint), paper (I used cheap copy paper), paint brush
Choose what you want to make a stamp of. Look on Pinterest if you need inspiration. But think fun shapes, flowers, letters. And can even use simple shapes and make a pattern by cutting out multiple and putting on the piece of cardboard.
Once you have your shapes chosen, flip the foam sheet over so the white adhesive side is up. Use this side to draw on your shape. That’s one reason having the adhesive makes it easier, along with not needing to glue foam to cardboard.
Cut the shape out.
Cut the cardboard to the size you need it. Make it a little larger than the shape. (Think of the stamps you can purchase and how there is space around the shape.)
Peel off adhesive and place on cardboard. If you are putting more than one on a piece of cardboard continue to make the pattern.
Get out your paper, paints and brush. This is the fun part!!
Get some paint on the brush and paint over the stamp. This doesn’t have to be perfect and you can get it all over the whole surface. Start stamping!! Be creative and make larger patterns with repeating the same stamp. Or put multiple stamps together on paper. Could make into cards or if have larger paper could be gift wrap too. Really the ski is the limit!
Happy crafting!!
A Sense of Play
This year has flipped over from how I originally wanted to tackle it. I wanted to come into the year with a plan. A plan for what I would do each day with my art. A plan for how to run my business and use social media. A plan to go through all the art books I have recently accumulated. Basically, I wanted to have EVERYTHING planned out. If you know me, I am a planner… I don’t really do that well with spontaneity. So, I reasoned that having everything planned out would lead me to a sense of calm and also a very productive year. Well, we are on the last day of January and this month has not felt calm or productive.
I am not writing this to get sympathy. But rather to share that we can have the best intentions and if we take the time to be honest with ourselves, realize that those intentions aren’t actually the best thing for us.
Here are a few truths I am working through. 1. Creativity doesn’t just drop down from the sky (usually). I do need to show up consistently to foster creativity. 2. Having everything planned out pins me in a corner and does not leave room for me to be creative. 3. A balance is where the magic will happen.
So, here’s a story… A few weeks ago, I got some kind of bug and was down for the count for the entire week. At the beginning of the week, I thought I would take the time to make my daily art plan since I wasn’t doing art. I went through some of the art books I wanted to work through and put them on my calendar. I chose daily art prompts and added those as well. I was all planned through September with things I wanted to learn, practice and try. Well, I guess the universe was trying to tell me otherwise because after I made that plan, I was too sick to do what I planned for the rest of the week and was already BEHIND! The entire plan was already off and I hadn’t even started. This I could sense was going to lead me to being on edge and not enjoying my creative time. After I started to feel better, I went through that entire planner and used a white-out pen to cover it all up. It was over before it started. But I felt a sense of calm once I realized that I do show up consistently and decided to have a loosely held list of a few things I wanted to focus on. And to notice what I felt lead to work on… whether that was painting, sketchbooks, collage, drawing exercises, markers.
Ok you might be asking how does all this relate to the title “A Sense of Play”? Because I am a planner and like routine, I find that art gives me a break from all that planning. I do have to resist my natural urges to plan and make it into a checklist, but when I do, PLAY and FUN happen. It’s such a JOY when that occurs and it feeds my life and happiness. All that strict planning was not going to foster a sense of play for me.
Let me ask you, do you need to put a sense of play into your life? Do you need a place to release and recharge? Do you need a way to just let go? If you answered yes to any of those, let me encourage you to put art in your life. You don’t need to be good at it. You don’t need to share it with others. You don’t need have a purpose for it (like hanging it up). It can just BE something that you enjoy and it feels good. And let me also say that it’s a safe space to let go. I don’t “let go” very easily because it can feel scary. Art just for you is safe!! You can throw that paint on the paper and not care where it lands. Scribble on the page and laugh about the squiggly lines. It’s your time!
How can you add a sense of play in your day today? Grab a coloring book and some markers or colored pencils. Do you have old paint from a craft project? Use that and cardboard from your recycling and make a painting. Take a pencil or pen and scrap paper and sketch things around your house. Doodle with your favorite pen in a journal. Use water-based markers as watercolor (if you add water to the color you put on the paper it will bleed out like watercolor).
Join me in the creative process! Create a sense of play! I would love to hear what you are trying currently. Send an email and let me know your current creative pursuits.
A little about me
Welcome to my artistic journey! I'm Kelli Hulst, and from as far back as I can remember, creativity has been my constant companion. As a child, art was my source of happiness and a vital way to express myself. The joy of creating has always been a significant part of my life.
My high school years were filled with numerous art classes. By the time I was a senior, I was immersed in independent study, spending countless happy hours in the art room. During that period, I even painted murals on my bedroom walls, turning my personal space into a canvas of my imagination.
Though I didn't pursue art formally in college, my passion for creativity found an outlet in dance, my other great love. This period kept my creative spirit alive and flourishing.
Life took a different turn when I had kids, which put a pause on my personal artistic pursuits. However, I found joy in crafting with my children, and our kitchen cabinet overflowed with art supplies. Whether it was for the kids or for myself, creativity was always present, quietly building up.
As my children grew older and more independent, I found the time to rekindle my passion for art. It began with jewelry making and other fun crafts. Then, two years ago, I faced a dilemma: I wanted a painting for our dining room but couldn't find one that resonated with me. So, I decided to create my own. That decision led me to explore big canvases, paintbrushes, and an online art class with Australian artist Laura Horn. This experience opened my eyes to mixed media and countless painting techniques, and I haven't looked back since.
Thank you for joining me on this creative adventure. Explore my shop and discover the stories behind each piece. Let's share the beauty of art together.
It’s all in a name
See how I chose the name Red Bird Art.
I think it was back in the spring and I was pulling into our garage with my mom in our car. Swooping around the garage happened to be a cardinal, which totally freaked me out. I have a real thing for birds, some may say hate or just a deep seeded fear. I just don’t like their wings flapping all over the place. Hang with me here… I will bring this all back to a name.
As this cardinal was flying all over the garage (it was also now freaking out because the car was in there) trying to find it’s way out, and as I was starting to freak out, my mom said, “Wait a second, that’s so cool.” Insert me looking at her like she’s crazy because a BIRD flying in a closed space with me needing to get in that space was NOT cool. She proceeds to tell me that God can send a message with animals. She said maybe he is trying to get your attention and tell you something. Me being me and trying to be funny said that yes hopefully that message is that I’ve won the lottery or maybe it will be very clear and the bird will have an actual message around its neck.
The cardinal did make its way out of the garage and I was able to get out of the car and go inside. We looked it up and there are many different potential meanings for seeing a cardinal. One of them was as a message from God offering comfort and reassurance. A few others are hope, wisdom, new beginnings, symbol of change, or an angel with a divine message. Now maybe at this point this sounds a bit “out there” for you. Totally fine! But for me I began to wonder. What did it mean? Was God trying to get my attention?
Skip forward to days and weeks after this happened and I began to see cardinals ALL OVER THE PLACE!! And VERY close to me. When I was running there would be one flying next to me, or it would fly down and sit right in my path about 2 feet from where I would step next. I would see them sitting on our deck railing right next to where I was eating. When I was driving one would appear and be sitting in the bushes next to the garage. At a funeral there was one drawn on the front of the program. I was seeing them everywhere. This was all happening as I was contemplating my next steps for my art and what I wanted to do with it.
This message of the cardinal meant all of the things I shared above and seemed to be fitting; hope- for something I was dreaming about, wisdom- that I would know what to do and be able to do it. New beginnings- yes that was self explanatory for making a new website and pushing forward with sharing my art. Symbol of change- yup goes right along with new beginnings. It was a catalyst for belief in the gifts God has given me as an artist and my ability to share them.
So back to the name… When thinking about my website I was wondering what to name it. Previously I have just called my art business “Kelli Hulst Art”, but I felt like I wanted something different. I thought, “why not Red Bird Art”? But was uncertain. There had been a lull in cardinal sightings but around this time they had started up again. I was talking to my mom about this and she said “well that’s your sign Kelli, if they have started up again, then go with Red Bird Art.”
So where I am…. Red Bird Art. And it’s not lost on me that the journey to get here began with a BIRD of all things.