When the pandemic swept through in 2020, Dan and I found ourselves already ensconced in our Hudson hideaway, feeling incredibly lucky for having escaped the city's bedlam. Life on the outskirts of town (we’d moved to Hudson not knowing anyone) was isolated enough that the pandemic, although terrifying, didn't upend our daily routines too dramatically. It was as if we'd inadvertently prepared for social distancing by becoming semi-hermits beforehand.
Work life, however, was a different kettle of fish. My usual gigs at companies slowed to a trickle, leaving me with an abundance of time and a shrinking to-do list. Thank heavens for social media - our digital lifeline to the outside world. Back then, Instagram was still playing nice with artists, generously sharing our posts with more than just our immediate family and not making us dance to get views.
In a moment of pandemic-induced inspiration (or possibly cabin fever), I hatched a plan. What if we all painted a flower a day for a month? It seemed like a harmless way to keep our minds off the apocalyptic news cycle and maybe create something beautiful in the process. Little did I know, I was about to unleash a floral revolution.
We christened our artistic adventure #paintingwithdealtry, and what happened next was nothing short of magical. Hundreds of people dusted off their art supplies.
We painted our way through the seasons, starting with spring's cheerful daffodils and managed to depict many of my personal favorites. I used gouache paints and Acryla Gouache on a pad of Canson watercolor pad.
The art that bloomed from this project was stunning, heartwarming, and occasionally hilarious (I'm looking at you, person who painted a flower using coffee grounds and a Q-tip- GENIUS!). You can still marvel at these creations by checking out the hashtag on Instagram, or by perusing the prints on my website - a testament to what happens when you give people paintbrushes and too much time indoors.
Now, I'm often asked how "Art in Bloom" came to be. While I can't say for certain, I have a sneaking suspicion that our global painting party might have had something to do with it. That, and a fortuitous meeting with a lovely lady at one of my workshops - you might have heard of her, she has a bit of a thing for shiplap and magnolias and I adore her.
To those of you who joined the #paintingwithdealtry movement during those tumultuous years, I want to extend a massive thank you. The connections we forged, the conversations we shared, the camaraderie we built - it was all more healing and inspiring than you could possibly know. You turned a time of isolation into a celebration of creativity and community.
If you missed it at the time and you’d like to see the demos just choose your adventure from the list below:
Daffodils, Tulips, Primula, Cherry Blossom, Anemones, Lilacs, Hellebores, Forsythia, Crocus, Magnolia, Azalea, Hollyhocks, Hyacinth, Poppies, Iris, Dahlias, Dahlias, Daisies, Roses, Fritillaries, Wallflowers, Clematis, Wildflowers, Peonies, Forget-me-not, Sunflower, Foxgloves, Orchid, Geranium, Pansy, Strawberries & Lilly of the valley
Until September 20th, I’m offering 20% off all prints to subscribers from the series here. Just use code ‘painttogether’ at checkout!
Also, a note on demos. There will be some here in my 'letters' to you, I promise. Over the last few months, I've been putting together an area of my studio to film in a slightly more professional way than plopping my iPhone in a coffee mug. As you might imagine, it's taking me a bit of time. I have high standards for myself, and I want to make sure the set-up is as good as I can make it.
Now, about those demos—I'm spending a LOT of time thinking about what they might be. Of course there will be flowers, but also techniques I like, equipment experiments, landscapes, still life, and lots more. The options are literally endless, which is both exciting and, I'll admit, keeping me in a bit of a procrastination mode.
So, creative companions, help me out, would ya? I'd love to hear if there are any topics you're particularly interested in us exploring together. Your ideas could be just the spark I need to get this rolling.
Hope your’e having a great week friends!
With love,
Helen
I love the paintings you did of your trip to Europe and would love to see a demo of how you paint scenes
I’m so excited by this news. I love your demos and I look forward to your landscapes and flowers in gouache and watercolor.
I would also love book themed demos, like your secret garden painting. I treasure the bookmark you made for the House that Lars Built—and that’s saying something because I have a lot of bookmarks.
Anyhow, I thought it would be fun to paint scenes from classic literature or make bookmarks of the moors for Wuthering Heights, Marianne’s passion for dead leaves in Sense and Sensibility, the tree avenue at Rosing Park in Pride and Prejudice where Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter, etc.