A Texan's Viewpoint on the European Kiss - White Tulips - Nancy Medina Art Classes and Workshops

The Kiss - White Tulips

by Nancy Medina

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There is just something about that European greeting, the kiss, that always takes me by surprise. Not that I don't like it, I could get used to it, but being a gal from Texas, we were taught "The Hug" rather than "The Kiss" and so going in for the hug and suddenly getting lips on your cheek is like discovering you're doing the Cotton Eyed Joe when your partner was intent on the Texas Two Step. It's really just a different point of view on a greeting, and one that is much warmer, even than a hug. Like I said, I could get used to this whole European thing! And it's a good thing, since my France workshop is coming up in August. Mon cher, I must pack again soon!

For now I'm finally back on Texas time, the unending rains have cut off the main road into and out of Flower Mound, and I'm so thankful, yet again, to be a work at home artist! We're not paddling around in boats, though it sure looks like it from the national news. Not to worry, I have plenty of Dove chocolate and crackers and cheese. I can hold up literally for days on such awesome rations!  

Here's a new video I created for you - break out the popcorn and enjoy a view of my workshop in Tuscany last week! Next stop, France! 

Click here for the Tuscany video!

The studio models take a bow!

Escape to Southern France!

August 4-14, 2015

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Thunder in Tuscany and 1000 Years of Prayer - Nancy Medina Art Classes and Workshops

Thunder Red Geraniums

by Nancy Medina

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Class Demonstration, Tuscany, Italy

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Thunder rolled across the Tuscan hills last night, blasting light in bolts that shook the ground and threw out the power for a short time during our dinner hour at San Fedele in the Chianti region of Italy. We grabbed our wine glasses, cameras, and other valuables from tables on terraces overlooking vineyards and ran into the chapel to escape a drenching rain. As black clouds moved quickly across hills that had seen the boots of the Gestapo, the soft tread of monks, and the footprints of local farmers, it seemed only fitting to find sanctuary in a place where prayer had been given for 1000 years.

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The view from my window

Salute from Tuscany!

The classroom models

take a bow!

Tough Decisions About Italy and Blue Vintage Tulip Garden - Nancy Medina Art Classes and Workshops

Blue Vintage Tulip Garden

by Nancy Medina

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Class Demonstration, Sonoma, CA

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It's time to make some tough decisions around Flower Mound Studio, and no, this does not involve insisting AnnieBee eliminate one toy because she got three new ones today. This is much more serious. I have to decide which Italian villages, markets, and castles to tour with my Tuscany students next week. Cortona, Siena, San Gimignano, oh my - I think I need a glass of wine! As if this were not enough pressure, I was just informed by a thoughtful and kind friend that Friday is national donut day here in the US and she will be enjoying it without me. Oy!!

Before things get completely out of hand, I have to get my sticky notes out and write stuff down. Here are a few of my jottings, if you were headed to Italy for the first time in your life, what would be on your to-do list?  

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The studio models take a bow and a dip in Sonoma, CA

Painting Sonoma Sunflowers - Flower Painting Classes and Workshops by Nancy Medina Art

Wild Garden Sonoma Sunflowers

by Nancy Medina

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I am just back from my first Sonoma, California, workshop, where the sunsets were spectacular, the fresh flowers were plentiful, and you couldn't walk five feet without stumbling into a gorgeous vineyard! We painted tulips, hydrangeas, cosmos, daisies, and delphiniums and I was acclimated back to the California I love before I had even polished off a glass of red! 

Most of all, I knew immediately, while standing in line for my gourmet iced mocha coffee with extra mocha, that I was back in California. The sign at the checkout stated my selection that day was certifiably gluten free, organic, non-GMO laced, fair-trade grown, vegan, women-owned, and socially responsible. 

My next workshop is in Tuscany, Italy, and I have a few seats left so pack your wine glass and your sun hat and join me for the peak of poppy bloom! I'm saving a bowl of gelato with your name on it!

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Thanks so much Rochelle Wines, our awesome hosts!

Close to Heaven Peonies and a New Texas Workshop - Flower Painting Classes by Nancy Medina Art

Close to Heaven Pink Peonies

by Nancy Medina 

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Close to Heaven Pink Peonies is based on the blossoms that took their sweet time opening this week. I finally put my fresh peonies in the fridge, and had forgotten about them until tonight, when we ran out of creme and I was searching about. Something tells me I'll be painting them again soon, unless, of course, they get lost behind the orange juice.

I'm delighted to announce my new Texas workshop, July 10-12, designed especially for the traveling student. The hotel picks you up at the airport, and takes you to class each day. I know I've spent many a moment chewing my nails over how to get to and from a class in a strange city before, and I'm tickled to provide a more convenient option. We'll be painting florals and landscapes, and I hope to see you there, blossom friends!

Painting Brilliant Flowers

and Landscapes

July 10-12, 2015

9 am to 4 pm Daily

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The studio models take a dip and a bow!

Spring Rain Peony and Hydrangea Garden - Flower Painting Classes and Workshops by Nancy Medina Art

Spring Rain Peony and Hydrangea Garden

by Nancy Medina 

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Spring Rain Peony and Hydrangea Garden is my newest large container garden, unveiled at my art event at Wine Down Market in Flower Mound Saturday. I'm humbled and honored at such a great turnout for the show! Thanks so much to everyone who joined me, and congratulations to Kay McCarthy who won a fun and squishable peony pillow. All the proceeds for the pillow giveaway went to one of my favorite charities, Dallas Ft Worth Pug Rescue. There were several quite good looking puggies who joined us for the event, four footed snuffly little ambassadors to the cause. I'll be having another art show at Wine Down Market again this year, right in time for holiday shopping, I sure hope you can join me there! Visit my bloggy to see pictures of art and pugs, what a perfect mix!

A future flower painter arrives, hooray for Jodi!

A Free Tulip Video and Framed in Violet White Roses - Flower Painting Classes and Workshops by Nancy Medina Art

Framed in Violet White Roses

by Nancy Medina

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Framed in Violet White roses celebrates the push and pull of warm and cool violets, and how it can be just so much fun to let your hair down and play with color. Today the pugs and I are celebrating in the studio the release of my full-length, free tulip video. Just a flower footnote for all those who watch, unlike my professional DVDs, Pink Pirouette Tulip on video was just an amateur production done by yours truly, with her puggy assistants, so the sound is not high quality. I beg your forgiveness for that, though, if you listen closely, as a consolation prize, you might just hear snoring, snorting, barking and other assorted puggy noises! Stay tuned to the end for some fun out-takes involving the helpers!

Click here to watch your free video!

I hope you enjoy this little tulip treat, I created it for you as a thanks for walking with me on this flower-strewn path of my first year as a full-time artist, and also to celebrate hitting 14,000 Facebook fans. I thank you from the bottom of my heart - with flowers - and pug kisses, too!

Watch Your New Tulip Movie!

The studio models take a bow!

A Mother's Music and Peonies in Cut Glass - Flower Painting Classes and Workshops by Nancy Medina Art

Peonies in Cut Glass

by Nancy Medina

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When we were young, my Mother would go into the piano room and play Fur Elise while we did our homework. Sometimes she played for hours. At times she labored through the notes and, at other times, the music seemed to flow from her fingertips. Today when my sisters and I met at the farm, it was the first day I was there when my Mother's home no longer was filled with her presence.  Read more...

Saying Goodbye and Flags in My Garden - by Nancy Medina Art

Arboretum Flags ~

Blue and White Irises 

by Nancy Medina

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Heaven is filled with the gorgeous sound of my Mother's laugh today. She passed away on Thursday evening. Just as many had predicted, the world tilted under my feet, and life is not the same. I've learned a lot since Thursday. I've learned that amazing friends will carry you on their shoulders when your heart is sad. I've learned that sisters are some of life's most precious gifts. I am quite certain my Mother is writing poetry again. I woke up this morning with a funny little song in my head that had the words "I'm so proud of you, Nanny..." in it, and though I can't remember the rest, it felt like a message from a guardian angel with a sense of humor. 

I taught a class at the Dallas Arboretum Saturday. At lunch break, as I sat in the quiet classroom by myself gazing across the easels at my student's work, and seeing the sunlight streaming in from the skylights, I realized my Mom had just watched me teach for the first time. 

I do believe there is a beautiful next chapter after this life. I do believe there are more poems to come. For now, I will keep moving forward with her spirit beside me and the memory of her laugh in my heart. I will love you forever, my beautiful Mom.

Pink Tulip Jubilee and a Gift for You - Flower Painting Classes and Workshops by Nancy Medina Art

Pink Tulip Jubilee

by Nancy Medina

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 The fresh pink tulips stayed perky for one more day, so we're celebrating with a spring giveaway in Flower Mound Studio this week. I'm looking for a home for a deep gallery wrap print of one of my favorite paintings, Life's a Breeze Peonies. How to win? Sign up for my Art Newsletter! I'll be announcing the winner on May 2 at 8:30 pm CT on my Facebook Fan Page. Be sure to tune in flower friends, you may have to get that hammer and nail out to hang your new prize!

Click Here to Sign Up for a Chance to Win!

Life's a Breeze Peonies and the studio models

Blog Talk Radio and Hydrangea Queens in New Orleans - Flower Painting Classes and Workshops by Nancy Medina Art

Sugar Queen Hydrangeas ~ Class Demonstration

by Nancy Medina

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No sooner had I unpacked from my back to back workshops in Nashville and New Orleans, and it was time to prep for my Blog Talk Radio Show interview for Artists Helping Artists.

Click Here for the April 23 Show at 11 am CT

I'm so nervous! What if I forget my name? Worse yet, what if I forget the studio helpers' names?

Leslie Saeta and Margaret Sheldon, the hostesses, assure me it's just a chat between friends, nothing to be concerned about. Nevertheless, my motto is: It's best to be over prepared. I've glued post-it notes all over my computer and begun gargling with salt water. I've included essential information, too, like my name, blue and yellow makes green, all those little things that slip my 50-plus year old mind. Read more....

New Orleans Alumni, 2015 

The classroom models take a bow!

Southern Bell Sunflowers and a New Tennessee Workshop - Flower Paintings by Nancy Medina Art

Southern Bell Sunflowers

by Nancy Medina

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Southern Bell Sunflowers was one of my class demonstrations in Tennessee last week, and features some teal pops of color to balance the warm orange bellies of these large flowers. We had a great time in class, the students took home some prizes, new hats, and even one big grand giveaway of $1000 (in chocolate!). I'm delighted to announce I've opened another Tennessee class since the first one filled up so quickly - I hope to see you there!

Painting Brilliant Florals and Landscapes

in Memphis/Collierville, Tennessee

October 12-14, 2015

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Nashville, Tennessee Alumni 2015

 

Blue Heaven Hydrangeas and Tough Choices in the Garden - Flower Paintings by Nancy Medina Art

Blue Heaven Hydrangeas

by Nancy Medina

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I clipped the blooms from my hydrangeas this evening. I originally had planned to cut some of my new irises and bring them into the studio to paint. I stood in front of the iris bed with the scissors in my hand, looking at the white irises, and the blue irises, and the deep purple, and I just could not bring myself to cut any of them. They were so tall, and fresh, and recently unfurled, and clearly enjoying their moment in the sun after a long winter.

The blue hydrangeas that traveled with me from my last workshop, however, were beginning to fade. Destined for my flower pots tomorrow, I knew the blossoms would not last much longer. Or perhaps that is just the excuse I used to have the courage to cut them. They posed quite bravely under the hot spotlight in Big Blue, my favorite vase, this evening. Here's to their sacrifice - thank you so much to these lovely blue blossoms for taking one for the team!

The studio models take a bow!

Spring Sparkle Geraniums and Caught in a Flower Painting Love Triangle - Nancy Medina Art

 Spring Sparkle Pink Geraniums

by Nancy Medina

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Spring Sparkle Pink Geraniums was one of my recent class demonstrations and the flower models are already blooming happily on my sun porch, as part of my "paint the flower, plant the flower" recycling program. I'm leaving for Tennessee Friday for a full workshop near Nashville, but I have a confession to make. I am so excited about Tennessee and seeing all those friendly southern ladies, but Sonoma, California, is on my mind! Paint Brilliant Sonoma is coming up soon. Is it okay to be in love with two venues at the same time? Will Nashville begin saying awful things about Sonoma on its Facebook page if they discover I am practically seeing them both at the same time?

Regardless, the evening wine tasting and hazy mornings over flower filled fields with clusters of grapes catching the dawn dew are calling my name. I would move back to California in a heartbeat, if I could afford the car registration fees. At least I can visit occasionally, and take you with me! Here's the squeeze on Sonoma:

Paint Brilliant Sonoma

May 29-31, 2015

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~ Class Wine Tasting Outing May 30 ~

Signs of Spring Purple Iris Garden and a Sonoma, California Workshop - Flower Paintings by Nancy Medina Art

 Signs of Spring

Purple Iris

by Nancy Medina

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Signs of Spring celebrates the first blooms in my garden, my purple and blue iris. Thanks to the wet winter, the flowers are promising to perform extraordinary feats of color in my iris and hydrangea beds over the next few weeks. I promise to document the array of unfurling petals for you on my art bloggy, flower friends, so stay tuned! I hope you have a beautiful Easter weekend with lots of loved ones nearby!


I'm excited to be heading to Sonoma, California, for a workshop soon. My hostess has been sending photos of the blooming gardens there, and we have a wine tasting evening at La Rochelle Wine Market. You are invited so pack your purple brushes and join me there - your vintage awaits! Read more...

Paint Brilliant Sonoma

May 29-31, 2015

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Signs of spring on the easel!

Your vintage awaits!

Reading to My Mother the Poet - Flower Paintings by Nancy Medina Art

Pink Halos Peonies -

Cover Art ~ Pandora's Box

by Nancy Medina

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Tonight I read to my Mother from her own book of published poems. As I read, I glanced at her from time to time in her hospital bed. She lay with her eyes bright and alert. As I finished each poem she had written, I would meet her eyes briefly and she would meet mine, with a bit of a smile shared between us.

As I read to her, it occurred to me, my reading voice has the same inflection my Mother's voice had when she read to us as children. Because her hands can no longer grip properly, I held the book upright for her, showing her each poem and the painting I had chosen to go with it.

When I finished the last poem, the one she had written about her father, I said to Mom, "The end." She turned to me with a smile and said, "That was good."

And it was. It was very good.

Spring Fever Pink Tulips by Nancy Medina Art

Spring Fever Pink Tulips

by Nancy Medina

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Spring Fever Pink Tulips was one of five class demonstrations during my workshop in the Texas Hill Country this weekend. Visiting Fredericksburg, Texas, is always a treat, and we were just on the verge of what may be the best bluebonnet bloom season in quite some time, thanks to the wet winter that is behind us now. Students from Ireland, Michigan, Colorado, and across Texas painted tulips, hydrangeas, sunflowers and French landscapes, fueled by fresh fruit kolaches and cookies made from scratch, courtesy of our talented multi-tasking energizer bunny hostess Jane!

I did emphasize to everyone our holiday theme, encouraging everyone to come up with a few bunny jokes, because, everybunny needs somebunny sometime, right? Take a peep at my new Web Site to a see a slide show of the students hard at work! 

And here's a little joke for you!

What is invisible and smells like carrots? Answer - Bunny farts!

 The classroom models take a bow!

Fredericksburg, Texas alumni 2015!

A New Poppy DVD Double Feature - Flower Painting Classes and Workshops by Nancy Medina Art

Poppy Garden, Part One of my new DVD

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I’m super excited to announce my new double feature DVD has arrived! With two full-length lessons on poppies and pansies, you’ll want to stock up on Milk Duds and popcorn, and maybe get a nice little four footed helper to sit in your lap during the show. Tomorrow morning I’ll be shipping out all the pre-orders to flower friends in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and across the US. No worries, though, I’m saving a poppy with your name on it! Here’s where you can order your copy….

Click here to order my newest DVD!

 Poppy-Pansy Double Feature

Confectioners Sugar Pink Tulips - Flower Painting Classes and Workshops by Nancy Medina Art

 Confectioners Sugar Pink Tulips

by Nancy Medina

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The large parrot tulips that spent a weekend partying with us in my North Texas Valentine's workshop lost their perk today. All that chocolate and too many donuts clearly took their toll, as they drooped and lost their petals, and were consigned, sadly, to the waste bin shortly after this painting was completed. Thank you so much, valiant bloomers, for staying up! Wait, that didn't sound quite like I had intended....

The tulip models bid us adieu!