Welcome to this special edition of Botanic Bytes!
While I keep things short and sweet most months, I'm making an exception this time. This newsletter is a little longer than usual because I'm taking an extra moment to spotlight someone I consider both a mentor and a friend. Please dive into the provided links—you'll quickly see that everything I say about her is absolutely true!
The Stories Behind the Art - Finding My Community
I want to dedicate a major shout-out to my favorite art teacher and mentor, the incredible Delores Naskrent.
My journey to find her began after learning layout, composition, and color theory from other surface pattern designers. While I valued the fundamentals, I’ve never been a fan of flat art or dull neutral colors. I love nature and have always tried my best to use colors as Mother Nature intended.
In my search for an instructor who embraced color, depth, and texture, I tried many, but finally found my spirit animal in Delores. Her art is full of everything I love, and she is a fantastic instructor.
I initially found her on Skillshare and was immediately drawn to her approach to mixed-media art. As a former art teacher, she has brilliantly transformed her teaching style into a warm and supportive digital platform. Now, every Tuesday, I join Delores and a group of fellow artists—my community!—where we encourage each other and find inspiration even when life is weighing us down.
I am so happy to have finally found my creative home.
This sense of connection has deeply influenced my work. When I recently created my mixed media Wildflower design, I had Delores's inspiring work in mind. It's a tribute to finding that wild, unique blend of beauty and support—a sentiment I also express by using "Wildflowers" by Tom Petty as the music for my social media reels, somewhere inside I think Delores would approve!
WILDFLOWERS
