Live Painting Sessions Forever Changed My Creative Life
2020 was full of surprises for me. Big time. Not only was the pandemic a total shock, but I could never have guessed how the shut down would forever change my life. In the process, I quit my day job and halfway through the year, I did my first ever Live Workshop with none other than surface design guru Bonnie Christine, my mentor and seasonal employer.
Image from my first ever Misty Winter Mountain Scape January 2021 Live Painting Session.
I didn’t know her at the time, but she was inviting random members of her Flourish membership to conduct live workshops that would help build the skills of other members. She and her team were kind, compassionate, and approachable. I wanted to teach about iPad art, but that topic was taken. So we agreed that I would teach about how to teach a class. As a Skillshare teacher since 2016, I had lots of experience and was excited to dive in.
I was sooooo nervous! I kept trying to tell myself that if Bonnie could believe in me that I know I could do it. The day of, my voice was shaking and I kept losing my place in the presentation… I even had such a dry throat that I had a coughing attack midway through the workshop, and Bonnie had to cover for me while I drank some water. She was a total pro, and really put me at ease.
Despite the mishaps and awkwardness, the workshop went great. It somehow flowed really smoothly. I was able to teach it in a way that the audience of approximately 150 members seem to connect with it well. I got lots of comments and follows after that session, and I was elated that it went so well. The best part of it was that Bonnie seemed really happy with what I shared, and how I structured the lessons within the Keynote slides.
Image from the April 2021 Abstract Live Painting Session.
That workshop led to later working for Bonnie in her Immersion course support team (a job I still get to do yearly), and landing a spot in a panel interview with some pretty big artists!
Looking back on the whole experience, I realized how natural the live interaction was for me once I got over my fears. It was so scary to start, but once I did, I caught a momentum and I was able to keep it going. Honestly, I would've never guessed! It was a total surprise to me, and one that I treasured.
A few months later, I decided to take the leap and schedule my own live painting session to see if anyone would want to participate. I had 30 women join and it was simply magical. We painted a misty, winter forest scene and everyone did so well, and seemed to enjoy themselves a lot! I knew this was something I wanted to continue over the long term.
Since then, I’ve made it a point to have a live painting session every few months or so. I've almost begun to crave the live dynamic and appreciate what it feels like to build my own community. It's been incredibly rewarding, and I learn something every time I do one. I think there's something about painting with a group of other artists in real time that brings in energy. You just can't replace it with anything else. I've so enjoyed teaching on Skillshare, but this new interaction allowed me to teach on a much deeper level, and I loved it.
Student workspace image from the July 2022 Island Beach Live Painting Session.
In the meantime, please know that if you’ve been putting off doing something that seems big and scary, I’m here to cheer you on. I believe in you, and I know you can do it. I think it’s like doing intimidating things as a kid, for example showing up for the first day of school. After a day or two, it doesn’t seem as scary as we thought it was! It doesn’t have to be all at once though. Keep it managable and enjoy the journey. Slow and steady growth is the best, and you won't believe what you can accomplish in just six months!
My love for live sessions continued to grow over the years, and I still keep them going, whenever I can. I truly hope you find value in them, even if you’re only able to watch the replays. Stay tuned for another one coming soon!
Want to join the next live painting session? Click the button below and learn how they work, what supplies I use, and sign up to join them for free. If you've already been to one in 2025, then you're already automatically signed up. Otherwise, you’ll need to sign up again to get the live session notifications as they are scheduled. I can’t wait to meet you there!
Have you been to a live painting session before, whether it was mine or someone else’s? Share your live painting session projects with me @OctopusConnection on Instagram or Facebook. I’d also love to hear how it went for you, and what your thoughts about live painting sessions in the comments below.
