This week on The Sunday Sunshine, I am excited for you to meet Hannah Stevenson, one of my high school friends! Hannah is a working artist, teacher, and mom of four.

Hannah was a little hesitant to be featured, because her focus in art is not selling her own work. However, she too has a valuable perspective as an artist. She is passionate about teaching and encouraging others to grow in their creativity. Plus, she creates and sells paper dolls, even custom!

Hannah has seen art transform the lives of both young and old. She believes art is a powerful tool that creates bonds, expresses what we cannot say, and helps us notice the beauty that exists all around us.

With spring teasing us with a few days of warm weather here and there, it is the perfect time to talk about nature journaling - Hannah’s speciality. I rediscovered my artistic side when homeschooling my kids several years ago. Our homeschool group had great outdoor meetups for science and nature journaling. It was an absolute joy!

One of the two courses Hannah offers online is Nature’s Art Club, and it includes everything you need to jump right in. Hannah has generously offered to give away a lifetime membership to one of her two courses as part of this feature!

More about that later. First, I asked Hannah some of the same questions I’ve asked other artists in this series:

What do you really hope for your artwork? 

Since the artwork I create is mostly tutorials or examples for my students, I truly hope my work feels inspiring and helps them realize they can do it too. I long for others to truly feel deep down that they are creators.

Do you set goals? 

I would say I see dreams. I get a vision in my head of what the dream will look like. I visualize myself doing it and imagine what it will feel like and then I work and work until a version of that vision happens. I do set small goals in the process to help keep myself on track, but usually I rebel against anything I've written down and just do what feels urgent each day. I've found it helps me to commit to something, usually before I'm done or even close to being done with a project. This brings more of a sense of urgency and helps me actually do the thing I've committed to. (Probably not the best, but I work well under pressure!)

Does marketing or creating for an audience impact your creative process? 

Yes. I always have my students in mind when I'm creating. I look for subjects they would enjoy, and that feel inspiring and doable. I want them to want to keep going, so I look for projects that will build confidence. I do create for myself while nature journaling, and once in a while will do loose watercolors just for fun. When I do this, it is completely wonderful!

Was there original art in your home growing up? 

Yes, my parents were not wealthy but they did have a few original pieces they purchased as young newlyweds. We also had a painting my uncle painted and many beautiful pieces of embroidery all over our home given to my mom as gifts from relatives.

When I was around eight, my parents signed me up for private art lessons and my mom decided to sign herself up too! She had five small children at the time. She created a beautiful charcoal drawing of my newborn brother, framed it, and hung it on the wall. That made a huge impression on me. 

She also did all of the "domestic arts" of the time: rug making, toll painting, quilting, sand art, wood burning - she even had her own weaving loom! I loved to come home from school and see what she was creating. It was comforting to me and made any creative thing I did seem completely normal and natural. Later she started her own antique lampshade repair business so there was always something exciting she was working on.

What inspired your creativity? 
Everything! It is in my bones. 

Did you need permission to become a creator? 

No, I have never felt I needed permission to become a creator. It has always been a way of life for me. I feel that creativity has always been my lifeline. I believe we are all creators and it just manifests from us in different ways. I have a strong belief that God is the master creator and that, as his children, we all have the desire and ability to create.

Why do you value your own artwork? 

I think because it is a snapshot of me and of what I am interested in now. I'd say it is a form of journaling for me. I also love that it inspires others to try and do it too.

Are you ever afraid to share your art? 

Yes! Especially if I don't love it. But I've found that some of my least favorite paintings/projects are other's favorites, so I just go with it. The older I get, the less I worry about it.

How do purchases of your artwork benefit you? 

Purchases of my courses go toward paying the five other women who help run Lily & Thistle. We all get to do what we are passionate about, and that makes me really happy.  Jeff and I plan to take our four kids all over the place to learn about other people and cultures, so a lot of it is being saved for that. But my favorite is to give it away to causes and people I believe in (seriously so much fun!).

I am subscribed to Hannah’s newsletter and it is great to get reminders of her many free resources and her blog. Her two courses are Nature’s Art Club and Watercolor School. She also teaches weekly in-person classes in the family's Art Barn in the Boise, Idaho area.  When she's not painting she's writing about creativity, nature, intentional motherhood, and mindful family life at LilyandThistle.com.

Hannah has generously offered a lifetime membership to either of her two online courses for our giveaway! This giveaway has ended, but I still encourage you to take a look at the Lily & Thistle offerrings.

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: 

1. Subscribe! 

Subscribe to Hannah's Newsletter.  
AND
Subscribe to my monthly Studio Update. 

2. Comment! 

Comment on this blog/journal post. Tell us about what you would love to capture in art this spring. Or, just say hello!
Remember to comment to be entered into the giveaway & subscribe to both newsletters.

My recent growth as an artist has been overwhelmingly supported by other artists, and I believe in supporting the arts community. I hope that you’ve enjoyed learning about Hannah and that you’ll continue to join me as I host more artists on The Sunday Sunshine series in the Artist's Journal. ou can also find the dates for current & upcoming giveaways, poossible pop-up sales & exhibitions, and upcoming guest blogs by clicking on EVENTS.

Tia Sunshine

If we haven’t met, you can read more about me in my journal HERE and HERE, or visit my Welcome/About with the button below.

This series is inspired by the Artists Sunday campaign that started last year. While I am not a huge fan of specific shopping days, I am a fan of encouraging individuals to buy from artists. This series is my way of participating in the spirit of the movement. www.artistssunday.com

Artists Sunday is "a nationwide art-shopping movement with more than 4,300 members. Participants include 500+ local communities, including arts agencies, cities, counties, state agencies, chambers of commerce, and organizations and 3,800+ individual artists." Their mission is "to encourage consumers to shop with their favorite local artists and craftsmen during the holiday season. Artists Sunday takes place the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Think of it like Black Friday or Small Business Saturday but for the arts. New members are joining daily."

Upcoming features in The Sunday Sunshine : Cathleen Nardi and Matruka Sherman

We look forward to hearing from you!