Jonalyn's Watercolor Blog - Jonalyn Fincher

Watercolor painting of a family skiing together down the slopes in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Beauty

One Painting with All Your Ski Memories

One of the best things about being an artist is taking ideas that only exist in someone’s imagination and turning them into a work of art. One blank sheet of paper in which I get to paint all the memories–it’s a challenge, but I love it. I’ve been asked to paint ideas from family vacations to personal milestones. But for our family, I’ve taken an imaginative idea and applied it to one painting with all our ski memories! Skiing Together

November 8, 2023

Downtown Exeter in Summer 15 x 30 original watercolor by Jonalyn

Beauty

Spiritual Conversations

Before I was an artist, I was an author and speaker with a focus on sexuality and spiritual conversations. And while I’m not traveling and speaking anymore, I still have spiritual conversations with my friends and family. My First Books Those of you who came to my art show know I used to write books on spiritual growth. Back in the early 2000’s, I wrote a weekly blog about female sexuality (rubyslippers.org, which I’ve since taken down). One re-post “Confessions

October 25, 2023

Beauty

Find the Good, Avoid the Bad Artists

In every place on this earth, we can find the wolves. What makes an artist good and how do you spot the bad artists? How to Avoid the Wolves You can spot a bad artist by these tell-tales (not just in art, but in life) copy-cats of the most famous painters (you can easily google “famous watercolor painters” and see the copy-cats). Many popular artists are actually excellent mimics, not creatives. You can read more on the problems with copy-cats

October 9, 2023

Dozens of handwritten stories collected during Jonalyn's COVID art show,

Healing

Reading the COVID Stories

My favorite part of my art show “Saving Lives” was reading the stories my visitors left for me. When you paint an exhibition helping people explore and remember the lockdown years, listening become such an important part of the gallery. I’m poring over these stories these days. The End of the Show Friends have asked if I felt sad when my art show “Saving Lives” concluded. I did experience some sadness, but I felt more grateful and a little relieved

September 13, 2023

Watercolor painting of a yellow house in New England sitting over water.

Beauty

How Do Artists Do That?

“How do artists do that?” They transform a blank sheet of paper into a scene that stops you in your tracks. They create a portrait that isn’t just the photographic replica of the person, but captures their soul. These alchemists with paint, how do they do it? I believe it’s more than technical skill. It begins with the soul of the person. Art with Soul If you’ve read my first book, Ruby Slippers, you know how valuable, unique and powerful

August 21, 2023

Jonalyn stands next to one of her collectors with his commissioned watercolor framed on the wall behind him.

Beauty

Commissioning Art is as Easy as 1-2-3

Commissioning art does not have to be arduous, exorbitant or exhausting. All you need is an idea of something you want painted. Maybe it’s a favorite place, or your children or grandchildren. Once you have an idea, commissioning art is easy as 1-2-3. Art is About Favorite Things All art begins with a meaningful idea. I want you to paint the view of the lake where my family reconnected. I want a painting to remember the bed and breakfast my

August 8, 2023

Jonalyn holding 22Powder House Row22 an original watercolor 522 x 1522

Beauty

Remember – Panning for Gold

Did you know local New Englanders have good things to say about the art of remembering. If you attended my “Saving Lives” art gallery you already know the role art plays in helping us remember what is too easy to forget. Memory Block I’ve listened to memories and watched as people look through my paintings and then say, “I just didn’t remember these things. It’s so easy to forget the lockdown years.” Remembering requires we want to dig into the

July 24, 2023

Beauty

Who Would Visit My COVID Art Show?

My show “Saving Lives” has been open for one week now and I’m meeting many people who want to visit my COVID art show. “Saving Lives” tells the untold stories from the years of lockdowns and masking that many of us, frankly, would just like to forget forever. And yet, my show also tells the amazing stories of reunion and beauty, too. The response from guests has confirmed that the timing was perfect. People are ready to start thinking about

July 8, 2023

Beauty

A Sneak Peek into my Covid Art Show

I’ve been framing over 40 paintings for my Covid art show this July. “Saving Lives” will be a gentle and beautiful watercolor journey through the COVID years to honor all we went though, to tell the untold stories, and to process these stories. But it will also include local landscapes paintings from the Seacoast and still life. This show will be appropriate for children of all ages and will conclude with an invitation to respond through writing or drawing. I

June 23, 2023

Jonalyn’s Watercolor Blog

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Commissioning Art is as Easy as 1-2-3

Remember – Panning for Gold

A Sneak Peek into my Covid Art Show