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Where DO Ideas Come From?
Did you know that a real spider's web and egg sack were the inspiration for E. B.  White's classic children's book, Charlotte's Web?
It's true. After watching a spider spin an egg sack into a web in his country barn, he took the egg sack with him to his home in New York. There he placed it into a candy box on his dresser and forgot all about it.
Weeks later he noticed hundreds of tiny barn spiders making their way out of the box and into his things. They spun webs on his hairbrush, and generally made themselves
at home.
After the maid complained, the spiders were banished from the house. Later still E. B. White began to write his book.
 We never know when or where inspiration will strike. That's why it is so important to pay attention to our thoughts and feelings, and act immediately when inspiration hits.
For example, McKinley Car Wash on Kapiolani Boulevard in Honolulu provided me with inspiration early one morning.
The orchids lined up along the walkway to the office caught my eye so I took some photos.
I didn't mean to take a photo of my car going through the car wash, but suddenly there it was.
That is when I realized how amazing it is to be able to buy orchids at the car wash! Where else, in what other car wash, in what other city, can you do that?
 Voila! Instant inspiration!
This painting was a joy to paint from the start. My aim was to enter it into a mainland exhibit.
Then something even better happened ... the owners of McKinley Car Wash saw my painting, "Inside McKinley Car Wash" and purchased it.
Now you can see it hanging inside McKinley Car Wash.
Inspiration is great when we feel it. Ah, but here's the rub... sometimes, no matter how we try, we just don't feel inspired.
Sometimes the muse takes a vacation.
That might be okay if you are painting (or writing or otherwise creating) for pleasure; but what if you are "banking" on creating something that others will want to purchase?
The only recourse we have is to turn our avocation into a good habit. We show up. We paint, even when we don't know what to paint and don't feel like painting.
It is good to have a few unfinished paintings in the portfolio for those uninspired days. Sometimes just picking up the brush and reworking an older piece brings fresh ideas to mind. Not always, but no matter what, it's a good idea to paint regularly.
Sometimes when the muse takes a vacation, it means we need to take a break too. We need to "prime the pump" and feed our soul. That's the time to take an extra long walk, go to a museum, or somehow change up your routine. How about a game of Bouncy Volleyball?
That's right, this is a full-size inflated volleyball court and those are adults playing volleyball in Kapiolani Park on the Fourth of July.
Maybe jumping around on this while playing volleyball brings on fresh ideas and inspiration. It sure looked like fun.
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 Our next, really FUN Hide-N-Seek Watercolor Workshop
at the Waioli Tea Room in Honolulu will be on
August 5 & 6, 2011, from 9:30am-3:30pm
$225.00 includes personal instruction as well as coffee, tea, and water all day long, continental breakfast, and lunch both days.
If you want to have more fun painting, sign up now.
Space is limited.
This is what previous students had to say about the class:
"Thank you for providing opportunities for a non-artist, non-drawer to enjoy watercolor." ~ Terri
"Because of my draftsman background, everything has scale
and lines, and what this class taught me to do is use my imagination and not worry about lines. Personally I need to get over making errors and just paint!" ~ Wayne
"What a wonderful class! You have a great teaching style - encouraging, up-beat, and fun. It was well worth the trip from the mainland. The venue was lovely, the food fine. The class was an admirable combination of efficiency and artistic ambience."
~ Alice W. O'Sullivan
Sign up by calling Patrice at 808-392-9104
or emailing her at Patrice@artofaloha.com,
or call her assistant, Rebecca Snow, at 808-286-5909
Click here to see Rebecca Snow's art.
Together we will watch our paints dance
across the surface of our paper and have fun painting!
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 The Hale`iwa Arts Festival is next weekend!
Plein air painter, Mark Brown, created this year's poster.
Plan to have fun July 16 & 17, 2011 from 9:30-5:30
on the fabulous north shore of O`ahu!
Expect live music, free trolley rides through historic Hale`iwa Town, the best art on the island, the opportunity to watch art being created, a keiki art tent, fabulous food vendors, and the "cool things to buy" tent.
You will find me and my art in space #20. See you there!
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Mahalo for taking the time to read this Art of Aloha eZine. If you have a moment, I hope you will share it with a friend either by forwarding it, or by clicking on the Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn buttons!
A Hui Hou,
PS You can find my official page on facebook fan page HERE . Become my online fan by pressing the Like button.
"INSPIRATION is for amateurs - the rest of us just show up
and get to work." - Chuck Close, artist
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Born in Port Washington, WI and educated at the University of Wisconsin/Madison, Patrice Federspiel first visited Hawai'i in January 2000. Within five months she had found a way to quit her job, sell her home, and move to Hawai'i to paint. 
Patrice Federspiel