I can't believe that I have already been doing A Tiny Bee Project for four weeks and can't tell you how rewarding it has been to do a creative assignment once week.  It's rewarding because I feel sometimes I get so wrapped in other projects and this project can be anything I want it to be.  No limits on creativity.  I think sometimes I worry a lot about my work being good enough and now I am realizing what does being good enough really mean? Good enough to whom? or to what? I think what's refreshing about doing this project is that everything I am making is just me and I am not over thinking anything and focusing more on the making. This weeks assignment is Feathering and what I immediately thought of was "Birds of a Feather Flock Together. Where do birds flock? The flock on a wire and on a telephone pole.  Since it's fall I know birds are getting together to fly south for the winter but they seem to always congregate over on the phone poles near my house a...
I was talking with a friend of mine and she was telling me that she was thinking about showing her art work.  and I said "You totally should!"  She responds with that her parents wouldn't like it and she comes from a pretty conservative background and the only thing that kept going through my mind was- "What is she waiting for?" She has all the important stuff figured out- has 2 beautiful girls, a home, a job ect.. What is she waiting for?  I get it, something that I have struggled with for a long time is that I am in charge of my own life. When I wanted to quit my job and pursue art- I knew my parents wouldn't be for my decision.  I remember sitting down with my dad and having a talk with me and to this day he asks me if I will ever go back to the financial world- at the time I was doing Mortgage Underwriting and Processing. I know super fun. :) I think what was one of the biggest and toughest hurdles in my life was deciding I wanted something else for my...
Here are more paintings for the upcoming show  88 Strong  and I have to say one of my latest painting addictions is painting portraits.  One of the theme for the show is Busted- and Busted is a newspaper (and it's online too!) of mugshots.  Since mugshots are public record, they are available for anyone to view.  I have never been arrested- the closest I have ever come to a run in with the cops is getting a speeding ticket when I was 21. I know I lead a pretty wild and crazy life!  I think what I find the most interesting is this little moment in time that someone who gotten caught for something- guilty or innocent.. a moment you are caught and are in trouble.  Looking through the photos I mostly saw guilty faces, the occasional smirk and some in a haze.   I picked busted pictures from Portland which makes me wonder if I will ever see these in real life faces.  I am particularly drawn to painting these faces since I am not much of a trouble maker.. maybe at times a naughty i...
I am an extremely goal oriented person and I always feel like I am always trying to achieve those goals. I think something I am looking towards achieving is focusing even more on my drawing and composition before I start to paint.  I think sometimes I just rush into the painting process because I love it so much and skip all of the prepping to painting.  I have been thinking about giving myself a drawing challenge because then I know it's something that I will have to stick with and if I make it a goal it's something that I would like to achieve.  Here is one of my little drawing from my sketchbook of Mr. Fox. Next week's assignment is "Feathery."  How ever you want to interpret it :)  Feel free to check out and link up with  12 Oz Bee House ...
I have been feverishly working in my studio getting ready for this upcoming show! I can't believe that this is the third year that I am participating in this show.  I think the best part about the show is there are so many themes (88) and I can paint in any of those themes.  The show is hung by theme which is pretty neat seeing all the different art in each category because it's a lot of art and super fun themes. This is a painting of the Hollywood Theatre which is a pretty famous and old spot in Portland.  The theatre was built in 1926 and it used to show silent movies - it has since had a few face lifts since and supports independent movies.  I think one of my favorite things about the old theatre is that it still has all of the intricate architectural details- and sort of reminds me of the La Sagrada Familia in Spain.   I would love to do a big painting of this one day but I love how this turned out. About the Show: Location: The Goodfoot      2845 SE Stark Street, ...
This week's assignment was Summer's End and to me Summer's End is always Labor Day weekend.  Labor Day weekend always marks the end of summer because school starts and no more summer ending.  I start thinking about the leaves changing and falling and getting crunchy beneath my feet.. oh and most important pumpkin spiced lattes and wearing scarves!.  At the end of summer, we usually head out to the coast and celebrate the last hurrah of gorgeous summer weather.. even though this year has been really hot even after Labor Day. We did a lot of road trips this summer and went to the coast a lot.  I think what I am going to remember most about this summer is my daughter turning one and our family road trips.  I did a painting sketch of my daughter looking out at the ocean and she was very excited to walk on the sand.  She gets so excited to wear shoes and clops around like a little horse trotting around.  I just want to remember all the beautiful... silly and exciting memories ...
We are in middle of wedding season and Do you know what I love most about weddings? I love the getting dressed up and my most favorite the cake.  I think one of the hardest things about weddings is figuring out a gift.  I always look at the gift registry and think should I give them the fancy vase or maybe the napkin holders.  Target now has a wedding registry that has so many great gifts that go beyond the traditional gift giving.  It sounds silly but I could actually give them a fun gift that they could actually use.  Sounds crazy doesn't it? Target asked me to interpret there wedding theme "Be Yourself, Together"with two unique gifts that represent the two love birds that are getting married. A his and hers gift that they would both enjoy.  Target is the perfect place to find the perfect wedding gift and do you know what the best part is? it was easy picking out something special that represented both people's personalities getting married. I have a wedding...
Follow me on instagram @erikaleesears August was a crazy fun month and full of making memories with my little family.  We ate a lot and went on lots of little road trips to the coast.  See that bear?  We were in the kitchen of the beach house and a mama bear and cub came and sniffed the bird feeders.  The mama bear smacked them down and they gobbled up all the bird seeds.  I have never seen a "wild" bear that close before except maybe the zoo but it was a little scary.  Tim did ask me if bears know how to open doors- which made me laugh because I don't think they know how to open doors.. I mean maybe a circus bear could but not a wild one. ok maybe now I sound a little crazy.  The bears went away when we knocked on the window but still scary! whew! September always seems like a short month because of labor day and my birthday is this month. and I know I look forward to all the wonderful birthday wishes and my husband trying to surprise me with a gift that I ...