• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • art
  • lifestyle
  • fashion
  • beauty
  • Shop

Jessica Libor

~ Studio Journal

Jessica Libor

Category Archives: lifestyle

The Strengths of the Feminine Artist

22 Monday Feb 2021

Posted by Jessica Libor in Courses, Inspiration, Journeys, lifestyle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art, artist, creativity, female artist, female creative, feminine archetypes, feminine artist, feminine energy, jessica libor

    In my last post, I talked about the challenges that a feminine artist might face as she builds her art career and life.  If you missed that, you can read it here on my blog.

    However, the feminine artist also has so many strengths and advantages!  First of all, what is a feminine artist?  We all have masculine and feminine aspects within us, but if you have predominantly feminine energy in your artwork you might feel:

1. Sensitive to your environment
2. Feel your emotions deeply
3. Make art that means a lot to you, and reflects your heart
4. Are drawn to depicting “soft” subjects in your art, like florals, fashion, love, and beauty
5. You are more drawn to being absorbed in your art and creation, and marketing, numbers and strategy is something you avoid or overwhelms you
6. What is going on in your life and the world affects you and your artwork

If that’s you, you’re in good company!   I believe the advantages outweigh the challenges of being a feminine artist.  The feminine strength is a quiet strength; like the roots of a tree, our strength is anchored in a deep well of subtle power, that eventually grows to become seen and admired, almost like a surprise.  There isn’t a lot of noise…until there is massive flowering.  So what are some of our unique gifts?

First, femininity is magnetic.  It isn’t all about pink and ruffles, either!  The essence of a feminine energy is an exquisite acceptance of herself and her work, a deep knowing of the worth of what she makes and who she is.  Think of a beautiful flower blooming in your backyard.  She is so fragrant, the colors so perfect, her petals so welcoming that the bees are naturally drawn to her.  She doesn’t have to chase them down. 

This analogy is true in all aspects of life, but if we use it for the art world, think of how an artist with something really special going on in her work is a magnet for opportunities.  She doesn’t have to chase or beg press to write her up, or show up at another person’s exhibition to try to talk to the gallery owner.   

But that flower still took action by blooming her best in a place where the bees could find her.   Likewise, feminine energy artists can blossom in their work, and let it be seen: on the internet, by sending introductory emails, by engaging in opportunities, by showing up and simply being present.  But she does so with a deep inner knowledge that her work is worthy, NOT to gain acceptance or prove anything.   She shines, and lets her work be seen, so that opportunities that are WORTHY OF HER can be magnetized to her.

Secondly, feminine artistry is deeply creative.  Of course all artists are creative, but feminine creativity especially in females is encoded in our DNA.  We are literally equipped to create souls, if not in the literal sense, then in birthing our creations. 

We have a natural propensity to lean into our creations and put our heart and soul into them.  The feminine artist’s work often is full of curved lines, unexpected textures and a beautiful, intricate look to it.  This is a mirror of her mind and heart, and the more you let open that door of freedom to your creativity, the more striking and powerful your imagery will become. 

The key is TRUST, trusting your inner psyche that you always have more depths of unexplored creativity that grows more powerful the more you use it.

Third, feminine energy is full of powerful archetypes and enduring story.  Just look at the stories and fairy tales that resonate with cultures all over the world and don’t go away, that always center on a female protagonist.  We do not always embody the princess (although I’m not gonna lie, it’s one of my favorite archetypes!) Feminine archetypes include the Queen, the Teacher, the Princess, the Angel, the Servant, the Heroine, the Crone, the Witch, the Healer, the Saint, the Virgin, the Fallen Woman, and more with almost endless variations of this. 

These archetypes are repeated in stories throughout the ages and have been embedded in our psyche.  And although none of us is just one of these things, it can be helpful to take some of the powerful stories and imagery of these characters that you identify with, and incorporate it in your business and persona as a feminine artist.

Imagine LEANING INTO the archetypes you like to strengthen your art, your luminosity in the art world, and your understanding of human behaviors around feminine lore…that persist up until modern day!  And, you get to create your own story around your archetypes.

Red Riding Hood, by Jessica Libor

By leaning into your favorite archetypes, you can create a more striking and enduring feeling around your art that will linger in the mind.

I will be digging more deeply into Archetypes in my expansive course especially made for feminine, contemporary realist artists that will be launching soon!  If you are interested in getting on the waitlist (no commitment, you’ll just be the first to be notified when it goes live!) you can click HERE.

There are so many more benefits to being a feminine artist, and I just wanted to encourage you that you are not alone; that your femininity can be your strength, if you embrace it.

Have a wonderful week!

With love, light, and creativity,


Jessica Libor
Artistic Coach
The Visionary Artist’s Salon

Most artwork used with permission from the Birmingham Museum of Art

Magical ways to usher your art career into a new dimension this year

19 Tuesday Jan 2021

Posted by Jessica Libor in How To, Inspiration, lifestyle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

2021 new year, archiving artwork, artist, artwork archive, artwork organization, contemporary realism, Happy New Year, jessica libor, magical, new year new you, new years resolutions

There’s something so special about the start of a new year.  Mistakes erased, we get to start anew with fresh hope and a renewed vision for who we would like to be.  But here’s the thing… this year will only be different for you if you step into the version of you that you’ve been holding back before!

Can you picture who that person is? Can you see the energy and excitement around this new version of you, stepping into belief that their artistic vision is possible?  How does it feel when you imagine your most ideal situation?

Much of my coaching work for artists is centered around two teachings: 

The first is that you and your artwork are already worthy.
The second is that others take their cues from you as to where you belong in the art world.  You are in charge of how much you sell your work for, how you present it, and what you create!

In this spirit of these two teachings, I recently released a podcast this weekend about the magical, powerful step of organizing your art career.  When you do this, you tell the world, I am ready. I am serious. I am worthy. I am beginning as I would like to go on. 

The different sectors I talk about are organizing your physical work, organizing your inventory system, your collector records, and your revenue and expenses!  I challenge you to think of these not as administrative tasks, but as ways to show your beautiful, cherished, precious artwork HONOR.  This sends a magical chain reaction from you to anyone you come into contact with that you believe your artwork is worth keeping track of, worth honoring, and worth taking seriously.  If you want your work to end up in a museum…a beautiful way to have your work honored and cherished…let’s start by honoring your work and showing its value within your studio!

To listen to the Inspired Painter Podcast, episode Episode 32: Organizing Your Art Career, click here!

After you listen, join us to discuss in our private artist’s Facebook group!

With light, love and creativity,

ps–If you’d like to start the year off with a beautifully focused course on finding your unique artistic voice,click here!

October Inspiration

28 Wednesday Oct 2020

Posted by Jessica Libor in In My Studio, Inspiration, lifestyle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art, artist, artistic, creativity, jessica libor, John Everett Millias, october, painter, painting

The leaves are falling and turning gorgeous colors, but the cold weather has begun to settle in.  The air is crisp and at night you may smell bonfires drifting on the air under the stars.  We are in the heart of autumn!
This has always been for me a time to turn inward, and take stock of how my creativity and artistic goals for the year are going. This year has obviously been very different and challenging, but I take comfort in the fact that we can control our own little corner of the world…for me, my home and studio.

By making my time at home and in the studio as comforting and pleasurable as I can, I create a little oasis of respite from the world. The warmth of lit candles adds a pretty glow, pretty rocks I pick up on my daily walks are arranged artfully, and incense fills the air. I listen to lilting music to put me in a good mood (current fave playlist is French Cafe on Spotify!).

I’ve been taking rambling walks near my studio and marveling at the golden leaves falling against the blue sky. So much beauty in every phase of the year! In my studio, I’ve begun working on a series of paintings for a solo show in April called Wildlove. More details to come as we get closer to the date!

I’ve also been focusing on something quite different, abstract pieces for a pre-holiday collection along with a line of wearable clothing. More details to come this month!

In other news, The Mythical Sea collection of available work on my website will be retiring soon. There are still a few pieces available, so take a look and see if you would like to snatch anything before it’s gone! Click here to shop.

Until next week, wishing you gentle and peaceful days,

Visioncasting: How to plan your best year yet as an artist

13 Monday Jan 2020

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, Exhibitions, fashion, How To, In My Studio, Inspiration, Journeys, lifestyle, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

artist advice, artist planning, artist vision, cal newport, contemporary realism, create your best 2020, deep work, goal setting, goal setting creatives, how to be an artist, how to plan your work as an artist, james clear, plan 2020 artist, planning

jess in gallery nature's daughters with kerasan logo

Hello my beautiful fellow creatives! I am so excited for this year. Are you excited? Isn’t it amazing that the future is in your hands, ready to be written?

I recently saw a post that said, “Your future lays before you like fresh fallen snow, take care the steps you take, for every step will show.” It’s SO true—every little thing we do in our life eventually compounds, and eventually the invisible will show itself, even if it is not obvious at first. The invisible work is so important, especially for us artists!

I am so grateful for everything that I was able to accomplish this year. I had a solo show which was very successful, in a beautiful gallery I was super proud of! I launched my first online course, began teaching as a college art professor, was featured in Beautiful Bizarre and other art publications, had my highest revenue year from my art so far, and fulfilled a lifelong dream of hiking in the redwoods! I made a painting about it too, as you can see below 🙂

 

“Solace,” oil and metal leaf on panel, by Jessica Libor (me!)

Libor, Solace

Although these things only take one sentence to write, they actually took months, and really years of action, to come to fruition.

For instance, my solo art exhibition took hundreds of hours to prepare. In the very un-glamorous privacy of my studio, I spent many late nights working away at details.

Nature's Daughters wall Jessica Libor

Processed with VSCO with al1 preset

IMG_5959

Each decision to work on my painting instead of go out with friends or watch Netflix, compounded the results of my exhibition. This is just one example of how I got the results I did this year.

The online course took months of writing, filming and preparation before it launched. Likewise, I would not have been able to get a job as a college art professor had I not gone through years of schooling and getting my Master of Fine Arts at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Although the hard work can seem grueling while you’re in it, eventually you WILL see the results of your efforts (or non-efforts!).  And I don’t want you to think that I am bragging when I tell you this: it’s always an uphill battle for me to continually challenge myself and work on my long-term goals.

 

One book that really changed that this year was the book Deep Work by James Clear. This was actually a suggestion of Alessandra Maria, an artist I really respect who I actually interviewed on the blog earlier in the year. In Deep Work, the author talks about how distracted we are as a society, and generally as humans. He talks about the value of committing deeply to a task for a set amount of time, and entering the state of flow. When we get into deep work, that is when the really inspired artwork comes to fruition.

Below, one of my pieces from this year, “Fields of Gold,” oil and gold leaf on panel.

Fields of Gold, oil and silver leaf on panel, 11x14, by Jessica Libor 2019

This year I initiated methods of working that were blocks of time dedicated only to my artmaking. I wasn’t allowed to look at my phone or computer, get a cup of tea, or call or text anyone.

Processed with VSCO with al1 preset

I simply blocked off two hour sections of time and created intensely. And you know what? It was HARD. I struggled with it! Just like when you’re running an extra mile and your body protests because it isn’t used to it, my brain wasn’t used to such dedication (I know, it’s kind of embarrassing!)

I had the urge to go for a walk, check my email, text a friend, or otherwise distract myself from the pain of focus. Just like doing a math problem, my brain has to work extra hard when creating a realistic piece of art—getting the right values, colors and proportions. I could feel my brain stretching as I focused for these chunks of time.

Below, a brain-stretching artwork I finished, “The Butterflies,” oil and 23 karat gold leaf on panel.

(sm) The Butterflies, oil, gold leaf and paper on panel, 16x20, by Jessica Libor 2019

Even though it was hard, the results I got this year were far and away beyond what I had gotten in previous years. I created some of my favorite pieces. I remember one particular day, I blocked off a few hours to create. I got into such a state of flow that I did not realize that 6 hours had passed. I did not stop until the piece was complete. I was shocked that I was able to finish a large, technically detailed piece in just 6 hours. It’s probably my favorite piece this year! And it’s a physical piece of evidence of what you can do when you compress time and get into that focused state of flow. You are able to accomplish far more than you could imagine!

Below, “Darling,” the piece I finished in 6 hours of super intense focus!

Jessica_Libor_Darling_pastel on paper_30 x 35_ 2018

So as we step into the new year, ask yourself what you want to experience in your art career in the next 360 days, and even in the next decade, which is 3,600 days! Here are a few ideas with how to break that down. I have three steps for you that I believe will be helpful in casting your vision as you move into a new era of your artistic career.

  1. IDENTIFY WHAT YOUR DREAM CAREER LOOKS LIKE: The first step is to identify your wildest dreams: this is the WHAT. If anything WERE possible within your art career, what would that look like for you? Let go mentally of any circumstances holding you back as you imagine this. You may have a limiting thought that you are too old or too young for success, you don’t have enough time, you don’t live in the right place, you don’t have the funds to make the art…it could be anything negative that you have holding you back. Just temporarily suspend that limiting circumstance and imagine that it was not holding you back, but in fact, was an asset! Imagine how your art career would look like in its most ideal form. Where do you show your work? What artists do you show with? What kind of work do you make? How do you feel about the work that you make? How often do you work on your art? What kind of awards have you won? Are you teaching, or traveling anywhere? Where are you doing residencies? What kind of people support your art? How do you make money? (Although a topic for another post, selling your artwork is not the only way to make money as an artist: there is also teaching art, gaining a fan base on Patreon, selling lisences of your art, winning grants, doing commissions, doing public artworks, doing live events, and much more!) Write down the answers to the prompts, in vivid detail.
  2. IDENTIFY WHO YOU WANT TO BE: The next step is to identify WHO you are when you are the artist you described above. If all of your wildest dreams come true in your art career, who are you as that version of yourself? Does she get up at 6am and paint until noon? Or is she in the studio every day 9 to 5, like a regular job? Does she visit museums regularly, or go to exhibitions where she might meet people who could help her in her career? How does she think about the contribution that she is making through her art? Write it all down.
  3. IDENTIFY YOUR TOP THREE: The third step is to look at your dreams that you just wrote down and take within it your top 3 artistic goals that you would like to accomplish this year. EVEN if you think the goals would be IMPOSSIBLE to achieve within one year, I still want you to write them down. Why? Because when you identify a long term goal, even if it feels very lofty, you will strive to align yourself with that goal. You see, your brain is like a missile—when you put a destination in front of it, your amazing brain will look for ways to reach the goal. It works like magic! Eventually, even if it doesn’t happen within the first year, you will be aligned with your goal. Each day you’ll get a little closer if you keep it at the forefront of your consciousness. So take your top 3 goals, and write them very large somewhere you can see them in your studio. Look at them every day and be inspired!
  4. MAKE MINI GOALS: Once you have your top 3 goals, I want you to work on them one at a time. Take each goal and break it down into twelve mini-goals, one for each month. For instance, if one goal is to have a body of work you a really proud of within 2020, you can have a goal of making 3 amazing pieces per month that you are really proud of. This could overlap with a goal of applying to 100 shows or opportunities this year, which breaks down to only 12 applications per month, or 3 applications per week.
  5. BLOCK OUT TIME: Once you’ve made mini-goals for each month that support your top 5 goals, take out your calendar and block out the time you need each day to make it happen. Schedule out three months in advance, so you can build momentum. And then, be sure to show up and keep the promise to yourself to work on your goal. Remember it’s your invisible work or showing up that will create the reality of having your dreams come true!

I realize that when you’re trying to achieve new goals, old habits can be hard to overcome. That is because the brain is wired to seek pleasure, avoid pain, and be as efficient as possible. This is great when we are in the wilderness, avoiding wild animals and the cold (pain), looking for fruits and berries and somewhere soft and safe to lie down (seeking pleasure), and looking for the shortest way to get there (being as efficient as possible).

These hardwired instincts are actually really good because they have kept us alive as the human race for centuries. However, in the modern world, we have to be aware of our instincts and how they can hold us back. You see, in the modern world, and more particularly as a modern artist, avoiding pain could look like procrastinating on a project because of the effort it takes.

Seeking pleasure could look like watching Netflix to escape your reality or snacking on things that aren’t optimal for our health because of the short term pleasure.

And, seeking the most efficient way possible could look like trying to get success before you’ve put in the work and made artwork you’re actually proud of. You see, we are no longer running from bears and foraging for berries to survive (well, most of us, anyway!) but those instincts are still there.

And if we plan from our pre-frontal cortex, which is the smart part of our brain that allows us to plan, rationalize, and create, then we can overcome these basic instincts while still appreciating them and thanking them for keeping us alive! We can transcend our most basic state by identifying our goals and dreams and working to achieve them.

And what is art all about if not a transcendence beyond ourselves?

Another thing I like to think about as an artist is your duty. If you have decided to be an artist, then you have a duty to express your vision to the world. The world needs to see your creations and will be a better place because of it. It is your sacred duty to fulfill that job that only you can do.

One last thought is to create a vision board that includes images of your top 3 artistic goals for the year. That may include an image of the gallery you hope to show at, the kind of artwork you’d like to make, places you’d like to visit, and images and words that reflect who you’d like to be as you accomplish your top 5 goals. This can be helpful to keep motivation going as you do the hard work of the day to day grind of working on your goals! Especially as visual artists, we can be stimulated by visuals, and this can help us get in the mood to focus and remember why we are doing it in the first place.

Ok, I hope that this has been super helpful to you as you turn over the next decade and choose how you’d like to spend your next year! It’s my heart for you that you achieve your wildest dreams as an artist, and live a happy and fulfilled life along the way. I know that this is going to be your best year yet!

Lastly, I have a gift for you that I think will be extremely useful to you as you plan out your year. I’ve created a free Artistic Visioncasting worksheet, and mini-course, with everything you need to plan out your goals and dreams. There’s questions to prompt you, so you can break down your goals in an organized way. I created it specifically for this blog post so that you can get the most out of it! Just click the link below to download it.

ARTISTIC VISIONCASTING: CLICK HERE TO GET THE WORKSHEET AND MINI COURSE

Now go forth and create!

With light, love, and creativity,

jessica signature

Jessica Libor

Visual Artist

www.jessicalibor.com

 

Lady of the Manor Fashion Story at the Rodin Museum

25 Wednesday Dec 2019

Posted by Jessica Libor in beauty, fashion, Inspiration, Journeys, lifestyle, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art, artist, artistic fashion, creative art, creative fashion, fashion, jessica libor, kerasan lamar photography, malenas vintage boutique, philadelphia blogger, philadelphia fashion blogger, philadelphia inspiration, philadelphia style blogger, philly blogger, philly style, rodin, rodin museum

jessicaliborrodin-11

Jessica Libor, photo by Kerasan Lamar

Rodin is my favorite sculptor.  Ever since I saw his work at his home museum in Paris, I was in love with his work.  In Philadelphia, we have a small but gorgeous museum of his work, that I love!  In a collaboration with Ms. Malena’s Vintage Boutique and Kerasan Lamar Photography, who photographed all the images with me in them, we decided on this location to tell the story of the amazingly detailed turn of the century jacket and robe.  I loved the combination of these pieces and the backdrop of the beautiful and elegant sculptures and architecture.  To see more of Malena’s Vintage Boutique, check it out here!  I am such a fan of this shop, and have many of my dresses in my personal collection from her.  I highly recommend! And now, to feel this elegant every day…

jessicaliborrodin-96

jessicaliborrodin-52

rodin

jessicaliborrodin-37

jessicaliborrodin-77

rodin3

jessicaliborrodin-51

jessicaliborrodin-66

Screen Shot 2019-12-23 at 2.48.53 PM

 

 

Victorian Gothic Dreaming: Collab with 521 Gemini Vintage

25 Monday Nov 2019

Posted by Jessica Libor in beauty, fashion, Inspiration, Journeys, lifestyle, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

521 Gemini Vintage, charlotte bronte, jane eyre, kerasan lamar, sponsored, vintage, vintage fashion, vintage model, vintage photography, vintage style

Jessica modeling 2019 art museum dark gothic

moor 1
moor sheep 1

I am absolutely thrilled to get the chance to work with the vintage shop 521 Gemini Vintage, an absolute treasure trove of delightful relics of another era.  From their amazing store I plucked this violet dream of a dress.  It is dreamy and feminine, reminiscent of the Victorian era of which I am so fond!

img_5518

I worked with photographer Kerasan Lamar to create the mood of a turn of the century gothic novel.

jessartmus-60 gothic

Jane Eyre comes to mind: always one of my favorite classics to read growing up, I must have re-read it a dozen times!  I suppose the gothic drama of it appealed to me, the melodrama that was so sincere.  And the setting of the moors, in a beautiful castle-like manor, was appealing.  A favorite passage, as she addresses Mr. Rochester:

“Do you think I am an automaton? — a machine without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! — I have as much soul as you — and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh: it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God’s feet, equal — as we are!”
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

And, of course, this early feminist sentiment:

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

As I walked over the hills and dales near the Art Museum in Philadelphia, I felt just like Jane Eyre traversing the moors.  I’m hoping this photo shoot captures some of the feeling!

jessartmus-76 gothic

jessartmus-75 gothic
Screen Shot 2019-11-24 at 8.50.28 PM

To find your own magical outfit to transport you into another time and place, visit 521 Gemini Vintage.

Screen Shot 2019-11-24 at 8.51.13 PM
Screen Shot 2019-11-22 at 9.16.15 PM

jessartmus-79 gothic
no bird

The Winter Starlight Art Collection

23 Saturday Nov 2019

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, In My Studio, Inspiration, Journeys, lifestyle, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art, artists, contemporary realism, creative gift ideas, gift, handmade, holiday, jessica libor, oil painting, winter art

Screen Shot 2019-11-22 at 8.52.07 PM

guille-pozzi-MOAEzls4VEA-unsplash
small snowy jess modeling

Just finished up a calming session of candlelit yoga before heading back to the studio.  Art can be so mental; you’re in your head so much thinking of compositions and colors and textures and ideas…once can’t forget you need a body to do the creative work, so yoga breaks are an essential!  That being said, I’ve been working nonstop on a little mini holiday collection!  It’s very inspired by night time and starlight on snow, winter pines and crescent moons.  I will be releasing it on Black Friday with a timed discount to my email subscribers first before releasing it on social media.  If you’d like to get the first look, click here and you’ll be on the list to get the special discount.

Screen Shot 2019-11-22 at 8.55.33 PM

The  picture above is what my complimentary gift wrapping looks like for the holidays!  All orders that are handmade will arrive looking similar to this package 🙂  I’m obsessed with these wrappings…silver purples and icy blue satins, and shimmering tulle!

Screen Shot 2019-11-22 at 8.55.07 PM

And now a little preview of my handmade ornaments…snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes…silver white winters that melt into springs, these are a few of my favorite things!  The picture above is a sample as well as the video below (it’s fun to see it sparkle!)  It’s been such a delight creating these unique ornaments, each one hand signed and painted by me.  These are part of the Winter Starlight collection!  Join my email list by clicking here to get access when they are released.

 

More from the Winter Starlight collection.  Original one of a kind handmade paintings with accents of 23 karat gold.  Drops exclusively to my email list on Black Friday with a sweet little deal…click here to be included.

Screen Shot 2019-11-22 at 8.52.20 PM

 

And another gem below, from the Winter Starlight collection…”Blue Pines.”  It was such fun sourcing these vintage frames and dreaming up scenes to fill them with!

Screen Shot 2019-11-22 at 8.51.56 PM

This one is under glass, as it’s watercolor and pastel on paper.  The Winter Starlight collection will be released on Black Friday to my email list and 10% of the sales will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one of the leading research hospitals in developing life saving cures for children with serious diseases.  If you’d like to see the collection when it drops, click here to be included!

 

Florence Memories

15 Friday Nov 2019

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, Inspiration, Journeys, lifestyle

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

advice for artists, art, artist, beautiful, beautiful art, classical realism, contemporary art, contemporary realism, creative, creativity, drawing, emerging artist, emerging artists, female artist, Florence, Florence academy of art, how to be an artist, how to paint like the masters, inspiration, inspiration for artists, jessica libor, oil painting, pafa, painter, painting, pennsylvania academy of the fine arts, PHiladelphia

“Everything about Florence seems to be colored with a mild violet, like diluted wine.” —Henry James, 1869 • I was fortunate enough to spend a summer in Florence a few years ago, studying painting with the @florenceacademyofart . It was the first time I experienced a step by step process of building a painting, and was amazed at the results that could be achieved—paintings that looked like old master works—by following the same steps they used carefully. I was instantly hooked in this ultimate fantasyland of classical painting. That summer seems golden and beautiful, in part because of the overwhelming art that filled the city. This photo is from Florence, Italy, at the Villa Medicea de Lillian… I couldn’t find the photographer, but it is representative of the beautiful structures and paintings that are around every corner in the beautiful city. What is a city that has influenced your art?

Into the coppery halls: the end of autumn

13 Wednesday Nov 2019

Posted by Jessica Libor in Inspiration, Journeys, lifestyle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

advice for artists, art, artist, beautiful art, classical realism, contemporary art, contemporary realism, creative, creativity, drawing, emerging artist, emerging artists, female artist, how to paint like the masters, inspiration, jessica libor, oil painting, pafa, painter, painting, pennsylvania academy of the fine arts, social entrepreneurship

Into the coppery halls; of beech and intricate oak; to be close to the trees; as they whisper together; let fall their leaves!

—Whim Wood, by Katherine Towers ✨. The first frost has come and winter is almost upon us. Each season brings its own aesthetic I enjoy for its own reasons. The end of autumn feels very mysterious and elusive to me.

What’s your power color?

31 Thursday Oct 2019

Posted by Jessica Libor in beauty, fashion, Inspiration, lifestyle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

advice for artists, art, artist, beautiful art, classical realism, color, color psychology, color theory, contemporary art, costumes, creative, creativity, drawing, emerging artist, emerging artists, female artist, halloween, how to paint like the masters, inspiration, jessica libor, pafa, painter, painting

Color is powerful, especially to us creatives. Color can determine your mood, and has been proven to effect the way that we feel. I’ve always been drawn to purple and lavender colors. I love this current time of year because it’s socially acceptable to let your personality really shine with unusual costume choices. I was able to break out my lavender wig this week, and it was so much fun! It definitely let out a different part of my personality, something more playful and more creative. Just seeing myself embody this color made me feel differently! So what about you? What’s your power color? Here’s an interesting list of colors, and what some experts think they represent. Red: ambition energy, confidence, bold, passionate. Pink: sensitive, intuitive, loving, caring, respect. Purple: fantasy, creativity, distinguished, modesty, deep. Black: strength, power, professional, accurate. Orange: freedom, social, warmth, motivation, impulsive. Yellow: optimism, energetic, fun, logical, attentive. Gray: balance, neutral, timeless, practical, solid. Green: growth, nature, equilibrium, positivity, stable. Navy: responsible, integrity, trust, peace, order. Blue: ambition, perspective, aware, open. Let me know your power color and what you associate with it in the comments, I’m curious to hear!

← Older posts

PORTFOLIO

Free Visioncasting Mini-Course for Artists: make it your best year ever! Click here to get it.

Free Visioncasting Mini-Course for Artists

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 243 other subscribers

Follow on Instagram

Click here to follow Jessica on Instagram!

PBS WHYY Interview

Click to watch my interview for Articulate with WHYY PBS

 

Top Posts & Pages

  • How to Paint Like the Masters: Part 6, Painting the Ebauche
    How to Paint Like the Masters: Part 6, Painting the Ebauche
  • My quest for the BEST organic, natural lipstick: RMS Wild With Desire verses Ilia
    My quest for the BEST organic, natural lipstick: RMS Wild With Desire verses Ilia
  • How to Paint Like the Masters: Part 7, Window Shading and Glazing
    How to Paint Like the Masters: Part 7, Window Shading and Glazing

Archives

Listen to the Podcast

[convertkit form=5087986]

Powered by WordPress.com.