I love to write, teach, and paint! I am so excited we have found each other! Are you an artist or do you just love art! I think we may find that we have a lot in common!
Let me introduce myself. My name is Krystal Nanette Cooper Meldrum. I am 40 years old and I am a happily married artist to my high school sweetheart Jeremy Meldrum and we have 6 beautiful children in Payson, Utah.
I graduated in 2001 from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. I love to paint very colorful, fantasy paintings that have powerful motion and rhythms. My dream is to create art that teaches, enlightens, and inspires!
I put my art on a shelf for several years when my children were young so I could train them to run the house when I was ready to start painting again. I got myself and my family organized and built a home organizing business which may help you get organized as well at www.house-organization.com. I love organizing because it opens up time to paint!!!
Finally, 2 years ago I started painting again!
At first, I was scared. I hadn't painted for years. What if I'd lost my talent? What if my family couldn't support my dreams? What if my children became vagabonds because they're mom became a famous artist! Anyway, you can probably tell I am a worrier (and a little nutty.)
Anyway, I found strategies to paint that I would like to teach you - even if you have a busy life as a mother, caregiver, employee, business owner, student, etc.
You can paint!
You can draw.
And it can bring you a lot of joy and satisfaction!
Here's my first tip! Sketch or Paint 15-20 hours a week and log it on an logging app on your phone or keep track in a notebook. 15-20 hours a week may seem crazy, but it's surprisingly doable! Keep track of your hours for 90 days.
When I started logging my hours, I found that by Friday usually I'd only painted 5 hours so I started carrying my sketch bag with me all day Saturday and I'd somehow get my 15 hours finished!
Always carry a sketch bag with you is my other tip!
I remember one week my son said, "Mom, you have painted 60 hours this week! I am struggling and I think I will have psychological damage. I need you to clean my kitchen!"
I listened to him and wondered, 'did I really paint 60 hours this week?' I checked my log.
I calmly responded, "Son, I only painted 17 hours this week. I've been home the whole time and I think you are going to be ok. Go and clean the kitchen." He wandered out of the room and cleaned the kitchen.
BooYah!!! I am a mom and I can have a LIFE!!! I can do something for myself and the house will not fall apart! I became a lot happier developing my talents and my children eventally, were happy that their mom was more happy too!
So, remember my tips:
1- Log your sketching hours for 90 days
2- Always carry a sketch bag with you wherever you go!
Your friend,
Krystal Meldrum
The Color Dancer
P.S. How do you accomplish your talent hours?