The Creative Life - Barbara Trovillo

Anybody tired out there?   I don't mean physically tired, but emotionally tired, mentally tired? During this terrible time in our history, many of us are hanging on by a thread. Oh, we look ok on a day to day basis, but every now and then, we realize we are holding our breath. Let's take a moment to exhale deeply...... Ah, that feels better.   Now for today's topic:   There is an artist I follow who does online painting demos. He is very productive and does beautiful work effortlessly. While he paints, he talks. He appears to be rambling, but actually he is spilling gems as [...]

Isn't the light glorious in the autumn?   October is one of my favorite months. I am not a fan of the cold weather or the shortened hours of daylight that come with winter but the vibrant colors and gorgeous light of fall thrill me.    I have had something of a renaissance in my painting life this year. With the coming of the pandemic, I was given the opportunity to paint every day. My business of 26 years had to essentially close. I also began to study painting techniques and theory in earnest online. Consequently, my work began to change. I started implementing the [...]

Protecting Your Place....quite a defensive title. I am uncomfortable with it. That's why I am writing about it. All my life, I have been taught to put others first. As I commit to a life of pursuing art, I find myself in a very unfamiliar position. I painted part time for many years until recently. My primary occupation was running a solo practice as a skin care professional, an esthetician. Now that I am barely working in that capacity, many people assume I have retired while actually I am launching a new business! Painting full time and marketing my art.   Consequently, I [...]

                                                                                                                    I think we have the happiest hens in Virginia.   Recently when preparing to leave for vacation, I was not able to find anyone to take care of them. My daughter, Lori, in Richmond, offered to look after them.  I put them in a box in the [...]