Tag Archives: Creativity

“May I?” is a Great Question

Posted on May 4, 2025 by Bobbie Herron

The theme for May 2025 is giving ourselves permission to explore new hobbies, or “May I?” Do you give yourself permission to try whatever activity interests you? Many of us hesitate, saying it costs too much, or it’s too hard, … Continue reading →

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Planting future seeds of creative momentum

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Bobbie Herron

“Not every day is meant for painting.”What?? Blasphemy! The garden metaphor is helpful. If we were watering, fertilizing, weeding, and bothering our plants every day, they would ask us to leave. They might stop thriving, or wilt, or even die … Continue reading →

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Mentors are the Key to Momentum

Posted on April 13, 2025 by Bobbie Herron

“Next, how do you refill your energetic / creative fuel tank? How often are you doing it, and might more time be helpful?” -question from last week’s essay April’s theme is all about harnessing restlessness, claiming your focus, and developing … Continue reading →

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What if you could turn restlessness into productive joy?

Posted on April 6, 2025 by Bobbie Herron

The essay theme for April is Transforming Spring Fever into Joyful Focus. Week One, what habits might give you the most immediate and reliable satisfaction? Next, how do you refill your energetic/ creative fuel tank? How often are you doing … Continue reading →

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The Power and Purpose of Listening

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Bobbie Herron

Our ability to hear and our ability to listen are very different skills. They are as complex as the abilities to look and to see. Oxford language definitions: Hear – Verb: perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone … Continue reading →

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Curiosity + Looking = Unexpected Aha Moments

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Bobbie Herron

Here’s your mid-week dessert, a bit of combined brain and eye candy. Watch and listen to my mentor Oliver Pyle (whom I mentioned in my previous post) as he guides you into a world you may have never seen, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Beauty, Design Basics, Seeing and looking, sketching, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What’s Your Nugget?

Posted on January 1, 2025 by Bobbie Herron

Yesterday I began searching Double Take for the best story to end this three-month series of essays. Here it is— it’s about Endings and Beginnings, and is also a gentle challenge to you and to me. Are you facing something … Continue reading →

Posted in Beauty, Book #2: Double Take, Look at That! book, Seeing and looking, sketching, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Double the Fun when Travel Sketching

Posted on October 27, 2024 by Bobbie Herron

(This is the next in the series of excerpts from my illustrated memoir, “Double Take.”) Planning a vacation? If you’re like me, the minute you buy your plane ticket or book your B&B, it feels like you’re almost on your … Continue reading →

Posted in Book #2: Double Take, Pen & Ink, Seeing and looking, Sketchbooks, sketching, Travel Adventures, Trips to the UK, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Watercolor is a gentle medium. No way around it.

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Bobbie Herron

Look at this Winslow Homer boat on a stormy sea. Observe closely, this is watercolor… … and then imagine it in oils. There’s no comparison.  If you want to calm yourself and create something of beauty or even release bittersweet … Continue reading →

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Part 1 of 8: The Secret of Water(color)

Posted on July 14, 2024 by Bobbie Herron

Right now, my favorite chapter in my new book, Look at That! – Second Edition, is Chapter 6, called “Introducing…WATER!” The key to effortless watercolor painting, surprisingly, has nothing to do with paper, or paint or brushes. Nope. The Secret … Continue reading →

Posted in Beauty, Look at That- Second Edition, Second Edition of Look at That!, Sketchbooks, Watercolor | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments