I thought I’d take some time to reflect on just how far so many of my Fresh Paint students from around the world have already come. It has been so amazing to see how they have found confidence and passion they didn’t even know they had.
One of those students is Adrienne Powell. A while back, I asked her if she would share her story because it’s really remarkable. You have probably seen some of her beautiful floral and bridge paintings in my Facebook Group, Ali’s Paint Friends. She has been painting like crazy and she only started one year ago!
Here is what Adrienne had to say about her painting journey.
I started painting in January of 2021 when I contracted the coronavirus. Normally I am a very active person and I needed something to do during my quarantine. Here’s the story of how I was inspired to start. I had been to Ali Kay’s studio many times in the past. I absolutely loved her paintings and would stand and admire them for much longer than I should. She probably thought I was some kind of stalker in her studio. We connected again last summer when she discovered my neighborhood flower stand. Ali was buying the flowers and using them for her reference images. When I learned this I began sharing my flower photographs with Ali.
Now back to the quarantine. My daughter had recently purchased some small canvases and acrylic paints. They were all over the dining room table! While I was cleaning up the mess I thought to myself maybe I could paint something. Immediately went to my photographs of flowers and found what I wanted to paint. My next step was to find a video that Ali had done similar to what I wanted to paint. Low and behold the same image I had picked out from my pictures was the exact image that Ali was painting in the video.
So with my very inexpensive acrylic paints, paintbrushes, and Elmer’s glue for medium, I created a small 4×4 painting that was amazingly good!
From that point on I was hooked! I began attending every Paint Along Ali did on Monday nights and also did a few from the past. I continue to do these Paint Along exercises to improve my loose painting skills and exercise my brain! I’m always amazed at what I’m able to create in just an hour with her help.
With Ali’s generous teaching skills I was able to create some of my own original paintings. I am most proud of these.
They are my own photos and my own creation. I am extremely grateful to Ali for this new passion she has given me. Since I am so new at this I’m not quite sure where it’s going to take me.
My friends and family are amazed by what I have been able to create.
My absolute favorite thing to paint is flowers, but I am learning and in order to improve my skills I am not limiting myself to anything. So far I have painted landscapes, animals, and of course flowers! I see painting people on my horizon as well. I share my work on my Facebook Page Adrienne’s Art. Hopefully, someday I will have my own website. To anyone out there who thinks they can’t do this, you’re wrong! You’ve never had a teacher like Ali Kay!!!!!
I have had a few friends join in following her instruction. They are all loving it! Pick up a brush and join us!
I’m so grateful to Adrienne for trusting me enough to dive into painting head first. I’m thrilled that it has changed her life so dramatically. Since she wrote this, she was invited to take part in an art festival here in Chattanooga where she practically sold out of work and she is also selling her paintings in several local galleries. I know she will just keep getting better!
I think this kind of transformation is possible for anyone who really commits to weekly painting and has the support they need! That is exactly why I’m starting The Fresh Paint Tribe. I can’t wait to get started!