This simple, mindfulness drawing meditation will help you be more GROUNDED and CALM by tuning into your breath. This activity will help you de-stress through drawing. It will bring you into the present moment and immediately feel more relaxed. Designed by an art therapist, this intuitive drawing bring self-care together with art and mindfulness for an honest & authentic view of yourself in this moment. #arttherapy #artastherapy #arttherapynearme #arttherapyclassesnearme #den

Today I'm going to share with you my 5 best tips you should always do when using acrylic paints. And you're gonna wanna stick around because tip #5 is going to go against everything else you read on the internet. Which of the 5 acrylic painting tips in this video was the most surprising to you? Was it #5 or one of the others? Whether you're in an art class, or following along a painting tutorial of mine here on YouTube, these tips will definitely make it a much more enjoyable

You may not know this but paintings and drawings have a "hard stage." It's in the middle of your process somewhere, you've been trucking along, feeling good... and all of a sudden you don't like it. And you don't know what you don't like! Something is off and you're feeling deflated, discouraged and wondering if you have to start over. Shannon likes to call this, "the ugly stage." 1st lesson: this is NORMAL!!! It doesn't mean anything about you as a painter or drawer. (insert

When you want to draw (or paint) a figure, don't just start drawing head, shoulders, etc... We look at people all day long but when it comes to drawing them, we need a system to help lay down what's really there and truly see. In order to draw or paint a figure we want to begin by laying down the axis of the body to create a "grid."  Axis are: imaginary lines that help divide the body into planes and help explain orientation. In this lesson we drew in axis for the spine, the

Create your rocks and ground with warm colors. To begin, paint the "middle color" of your rocks (not the darkest or lightest value). For my rocks, I used Burnt Sienna and added a little Red and Raw Sienna to make it even warmer. This was my base rock color. I added blue to this to create the shadow color (blue is the compliment to orange). Use the shadow color to lay out the edges of your rocks and start giving them shape and dimension! Feeling inspired?! This lesson comes fr

How to draw a face. Michelle and Shannon from MBodied Art Studio teach you the step-by- step way to draw a face that looks good every single time! If you've wanted to feel good at drawing people but never knew how, there is a way to map out a face so it is proportional and will look good every time. Shannon will show you how to use the symmetry of the face to draw it out so that the eyes and nose are all even and correctly placed. She teaches this face map in our drawing clas

Learn a technique for painting 3-dimensional trees! We'll share some color theory, a brush technique and how to use layers to achieve the look you want. This super helpful painting lesson will take the stress away from making realistic and visually pleasing trees so you can feel confident in your next nature-themed painting! Stippling = dabbing the brush, hold it farther towards the end for looseness Color theory = start with darkest greens and slowly lighten Making a shadow

Every time you create a piece of art, it is taking you on a hero's journey. There are profound opportunities to learn and grow each time you face a challenge and keep going. Michelle shares her first Healing heART painting where she created a painting to answer "What does success look like to me?" and the Divine Wisdom her art was teaching. The best part about this intentional art making process is that each person receives their own wisdom. The "just right" thing they need t

Woodworking is a hobby for some and a profession for others, but it can be a powerful therapeutic tool for just about everyone. In fact, many military veterans with PTSD have benefited from this particular activity. Most people who try out woodworking for the first time quickly become addicted. Creating something with your own two hands can instill a tremendous sense of pride and accomplishment. Giving Yourself a Purpose Everyone needs to feel as if they have a purpose in lif

Here’s the secret: we’ve got it all wrong. What feels important, what we give so much of our time and energy to, it’s NOT the answer. We actually need to nourish the soul. We need to come back into balance...as people and as a culture. One of the best ways to care for the soul is by making art. It gets you tuned into your inner wisdom. It naturally brings you into flow. Expression is VITAL to the soul. And there's a beautiful energy exchange that happens when you make art

“I can’t make art! I’m not creative. Art is for those people, over there with “natural talent.” If these are some thoughts that go through your mind, we have something to tell you! No one is “naturally” good at art. It truly takes practice to be good at anything. And it really, really helps to have someone teach you and guide you. With MBodied, we have a 5-step system for helping students with NO experience go from “I’m not creative” to “I can’t believe I did that!” We

Did you know that Hitler banned modern art while he was in power? He declared it was “un-German” and held an exhibition in 1937 called the “Degenerate Art Exhibition” to mock the art and convince viewers to see it as a symptom of an evil plot against German people. The curators even hired actors to mingle with the crowds and criticize the works. Why did he go to such lengths to slander modern art? Hitler was trying to control people’s perceptions through art. He wanted ar

"Why do you make art?" Hear from the students of MBodied's watercolor class. Common responses to the question are: "because it's relaxing/stress-relieving", "to express my creative side" and "I get absorbed in the process and lose track of time!" Why do YOU make art?? #Westminsterpaintingclasses #Westminsterartclass #Westminsterdrawingclass #Westminsterartstudio #artclass #paintingclass #drawingclass #learntodraw #learntopaint #learntopaintWestminster #artclasses #denverartc

Having a mindfulness practice can really help us be more present and peaceful. But do we have to meditate on a cushion or are there other ways?!! Making art can be a great substitute if you want to get into mindfulness but don't enjoy meditation. Art naturally brings you into the present moment and lets you express your inner world out and onto paper or canvas. Watch the video below to learn more about the connection between mindfulness and art. #artasmeditation #artastherap

Find out the last 2 steps of MBodied's system for helping people overcome this common issue with making art. #Westminsterpaintingclass #Westminsterartclass #Westminsterdrawingclass #art #artandcommunity #artclass #learntopaint #learntodraw #artforintroverts #artasmeditation #destresswithart #stressrelief #newhobby #creativity #Denverpaintingclass #Denverartclass #Denverdrawingclass #Denverartstudio #Denverlearntopaint #Denverarttherapy #Denverwomensgroup #denveradultartclasse

What is the reason most people don't make art? MBodied has a 5 part system for overcoming this common issue! Find out steps 1-3 right now! #Westminsterpaintingclasses #Westminsterpainting #Westminsterpaintingclass #artandcommunity #artclassarvada #Westminsterartstudio #ArtStudioWestminster #artastherapy #timeforart #relaxingthroughart #makingtimetomakeart #Westminsterartclass #Art #artclasswestminster #Denverpaintingclass #Denverartclass #Denverdrawingclass #Denverartstudio

I’m sitting in a roomful of people who are silent, totally absorbed in what they are doing, soft music playing in the background and a sense of community and belonging. This is one of my favorite things as an introvert, enjoying the company of others while totally engaged in what I am doing. Now, we’re not silent all the time. We talk, we laugh and engage. The difference is, that’s not the focus of our gathering. We gather to paint, our focus is on creative expression and

I know I’m not alone here when I say that my intentions to make art greatly outweigh my actual art making endeavors. I’m not alone because I know the truth about creativity as I’ve seen it play out the same for every person I’ve known: creativity is a discipline just like going to the gym or going to work. Sometimes you don’t want to do it and sometimes you have to make yourself do it. “You can’t force creativity!” Yes, yes, we like to believe creativity is this fleeting

#Westminsterpaintingclass #Westminsterpaintingclasses #Westminsterartcommunity #Westminsteropenstudio #Westminsterstressrelief #Westminsterhelpwithanxiety #Westminsterartparties #Westminsterartclasses #Westminsterartclass #Westminsterarttherapy #Westminsterartclassees #Westminsterartstudio #Westminsterartparty #Westminsterartcoach #Westminstermetime #Westminstercommunity #artclassesarvada #findingwhoyouarethroughart #healingthroughart #painting #artforhealing #whyisartimporta

How do I get more “me time”? It’s always on my list and I never seem to get to it! I know I need it but how do I actually make it happen? Many people who take painting classes at MBodied say that it’s their “me time”. Whether they planned it that way or not, 2 1/2 hours of painting and listening to music inevitably becomes a much-looked-forward-to me time. Art is naturally centering and self-reflective. You sit down to paint and intrinsically start a dialogue with yoursel