Rosa Phoenix Art Studio Opening in October 2014

Hello folks,

I'm moving on to do do more great work! 

In 2012, I started teaching art classes, just to try it out. 

I discovered that I have a real gift for teaching, and I love the community that I form with my students. 

What began as an experiment in life has become a full-fledged passion.

As I quickly found myself to be in great demand as an art teacher, that passion turned into a career and a calling.

Now I'm taking the next step, which is opening an art studio of my own where I can teach classes.


Rosa Phoenix Art Studio will open its doors on October 25, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona with a beginner pencil drawing class for adults. 

I'm offering 20% off the price of the class to celebrate the grand opening. Click here to register.



I also have a new website and new blog. I've had a wonderful experience here on blogger for 5 years! But it's time to move on. I will keep this blog up so anyone can visit the archives.

I do hope you will visit me at my new place!

www.rosaphoenix.com

Teen Drawing Class @ Revival Art Collective featured in The Downtown Devil

I'm teaching a drawing class for teens at Revival Art Collective in Phoenix, Arizona. It made the news!

Arizona State University's student news agency, The Downtown Devil, followed my class and did a feature article on Revival Art Collective and my wonderful students.

Click here to read the article.

2014 Art Classes in Phoenix, Arizona

 rose

pencil drawing by Rosa Phoenix

I'm teaching drawing and painting classes in Phoenix, Arizona. 

I'll be teaching a kids class at Revival Art Collective: Drawing for Teens. This class begins on February 1. Register before January 18, take 20% off the class. Use discount code: EARLY.

Register here: www.tinyurl.com/teen-art-RAC

For my full class schedule, please visit my website: www.rosaphoenix.com and click on Classes. 

Please contact me if you have any questions. 

It's a new year, a blank canvas we can paint however we like!

Let's make it beautiful!

Creative Collaboration

Lovebirds

watercolor by Rosa Phoenix

"Love is, above all, the gift of oneself."  

- Jean Anouilh

A few months ago, in the Fall of 2012, I partnered with the City of Phoenix, Arizona to teach free and low-cost art classes at senior centers.

My first experience teaching, it is the most wonderful collaboration.

Most of my students are beginners. Many have physical disabilities, or are recovering from illness, injury, trauma and grief.

They come to class with an open mind and heart. 

They are shy and embarrassed, because they don't yet know how to draw or paint. 

They are drawn to my classroom because something in them wants to create, express the beauty around them and within them, and to learn the skill of the artist. 

They know instinctively, that creative expression is their birthright as humans.

"We can do better than I can."

- Lykke Li

I think the highest form of creativity is collaboration.

The spark of energy exchange that happens when two or three or more share their ideas, is so much greater than what one person can accomplish alone.

That's why I love teaching so much.

To be able to share my love of art, and to teach people the skills to create their own works of art, makes my heart happy.

My students greet me shyly and say, "I can't draw," or "I can't paint." 

Within half an hour, they are happily drawing or painting, and watching themselves do it with amazement.

Their sense of sight, and their observation skills awaken. 

Suddenly, they are looking around them at their familiar world, now rich with colors, shapes and shadows that they had never noticed before. "It's beautiful!" they say.

Their ordinary world becomes an extraordinary world, because they now have an artist's vision.

Lotus Pond

acrylic painting 

by Rosa Phoenix

Wouldn't it be wonderful, if we could live this way every day?

We can . . .

. . . be the student, with open mind and open heart, willing to learn, willing to improve, aspiring to a higher expression . . .

. . . be the teacher, willing to share the skills and knowledge with others . . .

In my daily work, I do both, teaching and learning, sharing and collaborating.

My students continually inspire me with their dedication and motivation. They inspire me   because they make so many contributions themselves: volunteering, teaching and giving, with all their hearts.

We share our best selves with each other. Let's keep doing this, and uplift the world.

Sketchbook: Phoenix

Rosson House, Phoenix, AZ

crayon drawing by Rosa Phoenix

Hey! There's a Victorian house in Phoenix!

This is the Rosson House Museum in downtown Phoenix. It was built in 1895 for an early Mayor of Phoenix. It reminds me of the beautiful Victorian houses of San Francisco.

LINKS

Rosson House Museum

Sketchbook: Papago Park, Phoenix

Papago Park "Hole in the Rock"

sketch by Rosa Phoenix

Here is a sketch I made in Papago Park, Phoenix, Arizona.  Papago Park is known for its unusual sandstone rock formations. This one is called "Hole in the Rock". It's said that the Hohokam ancient people used the hole as an observatory to view celestial events. It's one of my favorite places for watching a sunset. 

 Papago Park

 photo by Rosa Phoenix

My first on-location sketch since San Francisco. Luckily, there are a lot of beautiful sights to sketch right around Phoenix. I've found some other artists to sketch with, so that makes it more fun.

Earth Connection

a hopeful sprout!

photo by Rosa Phoenix

This little sprouting plant just emerged 

from the dark depths of the earth, 

and got its first rays of sunshine! 

Doesn't it look like a bird with wings outstretched, ready to fly?

Happy Earth Day!

This year, Earth Day has a special meaning for me. I'm enjoying new ways of connecting with the Earth. 

I've planted a small vegetable garden.

I spent many years in cities, living in apartments where I didn't have access to a backyard or garden. This is the first time I've planted anything in the ground.

The little sprout in the photo above is from a winter squash seed. I'm not sure what type of squash it is, I will just have to wait to find out.

I've considered myself a true city girl for a long time.

This year I felt a strong desire to re-connect with the Earth and plant a garden. I don't know why. Now I wake up early each morning and work in the garden. 

I really have no idea what I am doing.

I planted some things without understanding that I needed to first clear a patch of earth, dig up the soil, take out all the grass and enrich the soil. So, I did some things backwards.

I'm learning as I go along. It's an experiment, and I'm just watching to see what happens.

new life

I truly did not expect to see anything come from the seeds I planted.

Seeing the first sprouts emerge was very surprising!

I am awe-struck by the power of a seed.

How much potential is packed within! Roots and branches and leaves and flowers and fruits containing many more seeds. 

My reasons for planting the garden were to connect with the Earth, to learn how to grow my own food, and to have fresh, organic vegetables and herbs to eat. 

As I cultivate my garden, I am discovering so many small joys and satisfactions along the way.

Digging in the ground to clear my garden patch, I felt my body and muscles becoming stronger.

I felt gratitude for having the power to do this physical work. Visiting the garden center and choosing tools, soils, seeds and plants made me aware of the abundance and diversity that is available to us. I feel so fortunate to have so many choices.  

I choose to celebrate and cultivate life! 

I like to observe the creatures who visit my garden.  

There is a black and white cat (does she know about the catnip seeds I planted?) Bees constantly buzz around the lavender plant. The butterflies drink from the soil just after it has been watered. I saw the most beautiful beetle that looked like a flashing jewel. And a couple days ago, a hummingbird hovered in the mist from my garden hose to drink and take a quick shower.

 Early Girl tomatoes

I am beginning to feel more attuned to the cycles of the earth and the seasons.

By planting seeds, watering them and watching them grow, I'm developing patience, hope and faith.

By composting my kitchen and yard waste, I'm learning how the process of decay enriches new life.

When I'm in the garden I feel relaxed and at peace. 

I feel so blessed to be part of this continuing cycle of Life on Earth,

and to observe the magical transformations that are constantly taking place.

I began this blog two years ago, on Earth Day 2009. I'm happy to share this time on Earth with you! Blessings to you on this Earth Day!

How will you celebrate Earth Day?

South Mountain Petroglyphs

Dobbins Lookout view from South Mountain

all photos by Rosa Phoenix

Here are some views from South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona.  

South Mountain is a nice place to hike, bike, drive, or ride a horse.

Here you can see the desert landscape and views of the city of Phoenix.

Recently I hiked the Holbert Trail, which features many ancient petroglyphs, made by the Hohokam people.

 rock art

The Hohokam people settled and farmed this area in ancient times.

According to local oral tradition, the Hohokam may be the ancestors of the historic Akimel O'odham and Tohono O'odham peoples in Southern Arizona. (Wikipedia)

The city of Phoenix was named to acknowledge these original settlers, because a new civilization rises from the ruins of the ancient civilization.

rock art

Is that a whale or fish on the rock below the spiraling snake?

To me it looks like a whale.

Where would these desert dwelling people have seen such a creature?

Maybe someone had traveled from the California coast.

This desert was once an ancient sea . . . how things change!

 another human figure

or maybe a bird?

 the four directions

the cross

the Saguaro cactus,

native to the Sonoran desert

All photos were taken on my iPhone using the Camera+ app.

LINKS

South Mountain Park

Hohokam people on Wikipedia

I Follow My Heart

Heart Fire
photo by Abdulhamid Al Fadhly

Happy Rosa Phoenix Day! 

Today is Valentine's Day as well, a time to celebrate love and romance.

Today is also the one year anniversary of launching my business, Rosa Phoenix Art & Design.

It's also time to celebrate a new year (the lunar new year was on Feb 3 -- I launched my business on the lunar new year 2010). 

It's a good time to take note of a change, and the beginning of a new cycle.

I moved back to my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.

This was after living for 10 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, and prior to that, New York City.

I left Phoenix and my family at age 18, to see the world and live a life of my own.

I quickly adapted to big city life in New York and San Francisco, met lots of people, learned about other cultures, and made great connections everywhere I traveled.

Everywhere I went, I found love . . . in the form of friends, neighbors, romantic partners, and even kind strangers who helped me.

My heart went through its own changes.

It grew with love, it shrank with fear, it broke with sorrow, it strengthened with courage and resolve, it reached out to others when they needed caring, and it even broke others' hearts, through carelessness or cruelty.

My heart has been transformed by all these experiences and interactions with other people. I feel that now it is a stronger and wiser heart, growing and expanding more all the time.

I follow my heart. It constantly leads me to new places that are full of risk and renewal. My heart leads me on my journey as an artist, a twisting and turning path where nothing is known or secure. Yet this is what makes me happy.

My heart also leads me away from my comfortable and familiar life, and many people I love and care about. This makes me sad because I miss them, but I also have faith that my heart is leading me to the place where I need to be.

I trust my heart to guide me.

Now my heart is leading me back home.

I am returning, 18 years after I left, to live with my family again in Phoenix. It definitely feels like a full cycle has been completed, and a new one is starting.

For some time now, I've been having visions of the Arizona desert, its colors and textures and vast open spaces. Arizona is forever a part of me. It called me back, and I responded to the call.

I'm looking forward to the new adventure, whatever is in store for me.

Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate the heart and the people you love. I always follow my heart, and my heart led me back home. Love is here with me, where it has been waiting all along.


What does "follow your heart" mean to you?

A New Look

painting by Rosa Phoenix

Happy New Year!

It is time for a new look! 


A new look could mean many different things. A clearer vision. A fresh, changed perspective. A different appearance and image. A focus that wasn't there before.

For me, all of these meanings apply.


I got new glasses. As an artist and visual person, it's especially important to make sure my eyes are healthy. With my new specs, I feel I am seeing clearly again, with new eyes! Everything looks clearer, sharper, more true! I am not getting the tension headaches I used to get. Please, get your eyes checked regularly!

I have a new design for my website, www.rosaphoenix.com  I actually made my new site on Blogger. I wanted to make changes easily, and put the focus on my art. Blogger allows me to do this. I can't believe how much work I put into designing and building my old site in HTML, and I definitely could be working smarter, not harder. My new mantra is K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Sweetie) and this is definitely more simple.

I'm excited to announce a new service: writing for artists. This combines my love for art and writing, and my fondness for artists, my kindred spirits. I do all kinds of writing for artists including art essays, artist interviews, press releases, web content . . . whatever helps the artist communicate with collectors and the public!

Please visit www.artistwriting.com for more information.

2010 was an exciting year for me. I launched my business and learned a lot. It was a year of exploration and figuring out how best to focus my energies. I decided to concentrate on creating my own art, and writing for artists.

I will probably be blogging less frequently, and more thoughtfully, in 2011. I hope that I will be able to write more articles about creativity for this blog and 365 just show up, and more art reviews and artist interviews for Artists Up Rising.

Please bear with me, while I'm finding my way. I so appreciate all your kind and supportive comments, as well as the inspiration I get from seeing your art and reading your thoughts. This is really a wonderful experience for me, and while I may know you only "virtually" for me the connection is real and meaningful.

What changes will you be making in 2011?

Reflections

Julia Butterfly Hill poem from CoSM TV on Vimeo.

BIRTH OF A PHOENIX * www.rosaphoenix.com is LIVE!

 

www.rosaphoenix.com 

is 

LIVE!

I'd love it if you check out my new website!  

I designed and created it myself.

This is the grand opening of my business, Rosa Phoenix Art + Design.

I offer graphic design and writing services for artists.

I design and create quality classic artist promotional materials for print and the web.

I love working with artists to promote their artwork.

I learned graphic design while working for New York art galleries, promoting international artists, in the 1990s.

I didn't stay in the New York art scene.

Life took me in different directions.

Now I seem to be coming full circle, back to the world of art and artists.

I wrote about some of the changes that returned me to a creative life. The story is "How I Became An Artist and Environmentalist."

I took the name Rosa Phoenix to signify rebirth.

Here we are in 2010. I've spent the last 3 years in school, updating my computer and design skills, and creating my own art, designs and graphics for web, print and other media.

I've also been painting and creating original art, and in 2008 I had my first art show.

Now I'm in business.

I'm hoping that the creative life will support me as it has sustained and strengthened my spirit.

I'm pretty excited about my creative adventure, and I'll be using this blog to keep you posted on my progress and news.

I'd appreciate your feedback on the website.  

I chose to go live on Feb 14, 2010 for the Lunar New Year, 2010, Year of the Tiger, and also for Valentine's Day! 

A time of new beginnings, looking forward to springtime, and a time to share love.

Thank you for visiting me here on my blog. 

I'm overwhelmed by the interest, encouragement and feedback that I receive here. 

Everyone helps me along on the creative journey. 

You all are a continual source of inspiration and warmth that I channel into my art!

Happy New Year! 

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Happy Rosa Phoenix Day!

www.rosaphoenix.com