July was World Watercolor Month, and I decided to jump in! My only goal was simple: put brush to paper every single day. I didn’t follow the official prompts, and I didn’t feel the need to finish a complete painting each day. Some days I found inspiration in YouTube shorts, and I just let the creativity take me where it wanted. It was such a fun month of making art.
Of course, not everything went as planned. I spent weeks trying to paint a beautiful cloudscape, and as you’ll see…none of them quite worked out. But that’s all part of the creative process, and I learned something from every attempt. Timing is key.
The whole month turned out to be the perfect warm-up for the September Creative Gathering—which is almost here! Time for me to start prepping!
The first nine images were the top performers on Instagram. Most are 5 x 5 in. Some are 4 x 4 in., or 3 x 3 in. They’re not in order. Keep scrolling for a closer look at a few of my favorite pieces!
Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.
Until next time, may your world be rich with color and texture & layers of inspiration.
A global community of artists exploring new mediums while starting the year with creativity, curiosity, and connection.
As we begin the 8th year of The Creative Gathering, we’re celebrating another inspiring season of creativity, dedication, and community. This month, our artists collectively created and shared 588 pieces of art. This is a wonderful reflection of the passion and commitment within our global creative family.
Throughout the gathering, artists worked in a wide range of mediums. These include pencil, pen, watercolor, gouache, inks, and oils. They also used photography, mixed media, nature art, colored pencil, assemblage, and journaling. Each piece reflects a unique voice and perspective, with artists of all experience levels sharing their creativity and vision.
What makes The Creative Gathering so special is that it’s truly international. Artists from around the world come together to share not only their work, but also encouragement, ideas, and support. Beyond the art itself, the gathering fosters camaraderie and connection, reminding us that creativity thrives in a supportive community.
Artists often spend long hours working alone, which makes these moments of connection especially meaningful. We share our work and cheer one another on. We witness each other’s creative journeys. By doing so, we build relationships that enrich and reward the creative process.
Each year, participants challenge themselves to try new mediums, experiment with unfamiliar tools, explore new techniques, and learn new approaches. The Creative Gathering isn’t just about making art—it’s about growing as artists and embracing curiosity and exploration.
The gathering is also a wonderful way to start the year on a positive note. By committing to create daily for one month and sharing that work publicly, artists celebrate both discipline and courage. While some complete the full month, we believe that even showing up for part of the month is worth celebrating. Every sketch, photo, journal page, or painting represents a moment of creativity and intention.
You will want to have a seat to view the video. It is over six minutes long! Enjoy!
To everyone who participated this year—whether you created every day or joined in when you could—congratulations. Your creativity, dedication, and willingness to share help make The Creative Gathering such a special community.
We look ahead to gathering again in September to continue our shared creative journey. Together we’ll support one another, explore new ideas, and celebrate the joy of making art. Let’s see where our creativity takes us next.
Congratulations, everyone! And thank you again, for sharing your exceptional work with us all.
Day 20. Prickly Pear. Gouache, 8 x 8 in. The prickly pear pads can be all shades of green, yellow green, gray, silver, sage. Just not usually all on the same plant. 😆
Day 21. Gouache & mixed media on Arches 140 lb. Cold Press Paper. 4 x 4 in. S.M. Delgado. My scanner is still blurring parts of the image. (The top image, left side.) Don’t worry, it is not your eyes. 🤓 For this series, my main goal was to catch up, and get ahead. Six small pieces sounded like a plan. I chose a limited palette and started with large blocks of color. Dots and marks in a contrasting color were added next. In Photoshop I layered leaves, patterns and music for more interest.
Day 22. Gouache on Arches Cold Press Paper 140 lb. 4 x 4 in. Repetition as composition.
Day 23. Gouache on Arches Cold Press Paper 140 lb. 4 x 4 in. By this time, I was starting to question my color choices. It felt like something was missing. 🤔 What do you think?
I received suggestions in the gathering group, and in my next post you will see the results. Stay tuned!
The February gathering is a 30-day event, despite the month not having 30 days. And the group gallery video is coming around the mountain! Our time to celebrate the fabulous art the members have brought to life!
