The Gallery is closed, and the walls have been stripped of work. On the floor is where the action is. A new exhibit is about to take form. Paintings are unpacked and laid out, staring up as Shawn Cornell determines the larger piece that will anchor the midpoint. From there he decides the breathing room that is critical in sustaining the energetic installations for which Cornell is known. He will play with spacing and the arrangement of every piece until he achieves the visual pulse he is looking for. “I much rather have each piece have some breathing space,” Cornell says. “I do my best to give as much space in between so that there’s almost like an EKG going on.”

Upon publishing this painting, I received a very nice comment from one of my supporters, followed by an interesting question: "How much LOVE do you put in your paint?" How Much Love?

When we were kids, they gave us crayons. Such a wonderful tool to express anything that came to mind. A box would come to us with sticks of colored wax standing upright waiting for a small hand to drive. We could draw and scribble. We drew dogs, cats, houses…stuff that made us happy.

It is wonderful to wrap-up 2023 with piles of gratitude and loads of great news! Dedicated members like you have helped make this past year the best year so far at Heartland Art Club! During 2023 our members participated in multiple exhibit opportunities available to all levels of experience.

Your handwriting is as unique and distinct as you are. Regardless of how we were taught to write, we each develop our own style. Immediately recognizable to those who know us.

Making mistakes as artists is something we are all very familiar with. How we handle mistakes makes a huge difference in our growth as an artist, as well as the outcome of the painting.

I have a lot of reference photos. I mean a lot of photos! There are well over 75,000 photos on my hard drive. Many of the photos have been collected from vacations, gardens, wildlife sanctuaries, zoos, historical locales, and plein air opportunities. One particular photo that I kept revisiting was from a trip to Texas in 2011.

Meet volunteer Daniel Fishback. Since 2019, Daniel has been devoting countless hours in the role of education director here at Heartland Art Club. His dedication behind the scenes is reflected in the impressive workshops he puts together. “It’s hard work, but very satisfying,” says Daniel.

Steve Morris has entered dozens of shows over the years and knows what it’s like to have work rejected and accepted. He’s learned a number of things that may be helpful to you when deciding if you should enter your work.