March 2025
Loose Vintage Flowers in Procreate
Hello lovelies!
I hope you’ve had a gentle March month. As we slowly roll into full autumn on this side of the equator, it’s impossible not to notice the change in season. The mornings are cooler, the days are milder and everywhere the dead dryness of summer needs to be cleared out, while the autumn colours emerge and boldly declare their presence, before the leaves change again to become dry and dead debris needing to be cleared out too. It’s a constant flow of life and beauty and death and clearing the way for new and different beginnings. The question then becomes, why are we so bent on perfection when everything is temporary?
This past month I took a couple of days by myself to reflect on my art and my work and to be honest, I found a lot of dry and dead stuff from the scorching summer heat of performance and perfection. I lost the joy in just creating trying to meet the demands of algorithms, course producers and even my business mentor. It’s time for clearing out and making way for new things. Part of that process has just been to find my joy in painting and creating again. I am keen on a much freer, looser style where I can just play. I’m going to follow this rabbit trail of looser art with messy sketch lines and playful techniques for a while to see where it will lead. I’d be happy if you follow along in the journey and share your thoughts. Have you ever felt like you just want to start from scratch? How do you navigate the demands of all the perfection that is often required just to be acknowledged in the world? What courageous things have you done to resist these demands? I’d love to know. Let’s encourage one another.
New in the Shop!
I’ve created some beautiful aluminum bookmarks featuring each month’s birth flower and the unique character strengths of those born in that month. They’re great for Mother’s Day, bridesmaid proposals, and make thoughtful gifts for garden and book lovers. I love birth flowers. They’re a meaningful way to celebrate many occasions, which is why I wanted to paint them. There is actually an alternative birth flower list, which I am considering painting in a looser style. Stay tuned- more birth flower inspired products are coming next month.
And a reminder that all my subscribers will go into the draw on 1 May 2025 to win a custom birth flower pillow (Grandma’s Garden, Mum’s Garden, Family Garden or any other title you would like. So please share this newsletter with anyone who you think might like to enter by subscribing.)
This month’s free downloadable gift tags in Jo’s Gift Garden.
I’m preparing to teach some Procreate botanical art classes and designed these gift tags in my lesson plan preparations. You can find the download under the GIFT TAG section in Jo’s Gift Garden.
This month’s free download.
Invitation (some thoughts on life & faith)
Proverbs 16:9 (NLT) says: We can make our plans but the LORD determines our steps. As you know from last month’s newsletter, we were delivered a bit of bomb this year and many things are about to change for our family. We had plans and ideas for what this year was going to look like, but at the moment, we have no idea what to expect. Some of those plans may come to fruition, some may not. I am a planner-mostly because I’m a control freak! But I am learning that even though it’s not a bad thing to have plans, God is ultimately the One who is directing my future. I can either go with it or fight against it. I can plan and work to the best of my ability, but I also need to be open to new things and not fall apart when my plans fail. In some ways it’s a relief to know that it’s not all dependent on me getting things exactly right according to my limited knowledge, experience and intellect. I can move forward with hope because God loves me and will move me in accordance with His plans for my ultimate best life. Obviously, He loves you too and will do the same for all His children.
Wishing you a wonderful April.
With joy & beauty,
Jo
