<![CDATA[ASHLEY STUART - News]]>Sun, 01 Mar 2026 04:10:36 +0000Weebly<![CDATA[Art Shop Updates]]>Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:33:29 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/art-shop-updates
The Art Shop is now closed in its current state and is transitioning to something new. I would like to extend a huge thank you to collectors and contributors—it has been a lovely five years.

Stay tuned for what comes next!
]]><![CDATA[NEW! DIY Art Kits]]>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:51:22 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/new-diy-art-kitsI'm excited to share two DIY Art Kits, a great way to introduce creativity into your home. Each contains the basic materials. a supplies list, and easy instructions. These are $6/each, please enquire directly by email.
]]><![CDATA[Homemade Wreath]]>Thu, 21 Aug 2025 13:38:49 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/homemade-wreath
This year my children and I foraged the local park for greenery, berries, dried leaves, and pinecones. Using a grape vine wreath from an old wreath, we intertwined our clippings and used wire to hold the smaller pieces, like the pinecones, in place.

When I come to the door I'm filled with warmth as I remember the adventure, the creation, and the conversation. We are ready for autumn!
]]><![CDATA[Circles and Ladybugs]]>Fri, 15 Aug 2025 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/august-21st-2025
In this month's Aspiring Artist's class we practiced brush-holding techniques to achieve smooth, rounded edges.

The painting consisted of many circles and rounded shapes so participants had a chance to really practice within one setting. We used a smaller dry brush, methods of holding hands steady, and a breathing technique to calm any shaking. The colors are striking so participants could focus on holding and rotating the brush.

​Seeing the sparkle of the eye the moment they achieve the technique is truly something special to me.
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]]><![CDATA[Mother's Day: Tandem Butterfly Acrylic Painting]]>Sat, 10 May 2025 20:46:38 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/may-10th-2025
Today's painting class was a special one. Mothers and children spent the day creating a tandem acrylic painting of a beautiful butterfly! Because the subject is symmetrical, one person had the left and one had the right. The outcomes are so imaginative and thoughtful, I'm so pleased at all of the smiles today! Happy Mother's Day 🦋

If you'd like to try this at home be sure to grab the checklist: Painting Party at Home.
Check out the class schedule for the next painting event and hope to see you soon!
]]><![CDATA[What is Nature Journaling? A brief overview of health benefits, preparing your own journal, and a nature book recommendation.]]>Sun, 04 May 2025 12:03:47 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/nature-journaling
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Cinque Terre nature journal entry by Ashley Stuart

What is nature journaling?

We may have a sense of what journaling is—the routine writing of thoughts and feelings for self-reflection or expression—though it can vary person-to-person. Nature journaling is similar, but focused on capturing individual experiences of small moments in nature and incorporating sketching, keepsakes, writing, and so on. We can keep these moments close and use them for creative inspiration later. 
Artist Ashley Stuart nature journaling with her children in Cambridgeshire.
Sitting on a tractor lane looking out over the landscape with my children, capturing with sketches and watercolors.

Benefits of Nature Journaling

This method of journaling gets you outside in the fresh air, soaking in the sun, and removing the mind and body from the digital world. Taking time away with nature can provide new perspectives on life or circumstances and chance to reflect your connection to the natural world. 

In my own journal, I have small paragraphs describing an inchworms acrobatic afternoon, an autumnal rainbow of pressed leaves, sketches of overlapping leaf patterns against the sky, descriptions of birds shape and color to look up later, and so on. When looking back I can almost transport myself to that moment in time and my senses flare with memories. I also bring my phone for photographs, as well as small empty mint tins and fill them with sand, nuts, leaves, dried berries, and other nature keepsakes. And of course sustenance! I tend to always have a coffee or tea in hand and a sweet snack.
Birdseye view of Ashley Stuart cooling her feet in a riverbed of brown while wearing linen blue trousers and shirt.
I took a moment while walking artworks to the post office for shipping to cool off in the river.
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Sketching a landscape on a bridge where the land was divided into thirds.
Ashley Stuart sitting at a lakeside cafe with coffee and cakes while painting a watercolor landscape.
Painting a watercolor of a lakeside landscape with coffee and cakes.
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Capturing the curves of a dome and delicate cross in Copenhagen.
Artist Ashley Stuart painting a landscape in Basque Country of Spain.
Capturing the Basque mountains from our hotel window.
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Levels and wisps of terrain on the way to Edinburgh.

Preparing Your Bag

When preparing for your time out in nature you can take as much or as little as you'd like, you can go as close or far from home as time allows, with any sort of notebook you have. Either store-bought or homemade from scraps, you'll just need space to capture experiences. If you don't have a notebook on hand, there are a number of notebooks available in my art shop. 
  • Notebook
  • Pencil and sharpener
  • Small blanket
  • ​A destination
  • Camera
  • Plastic baggies or small tins (for keepsakes)
Artist Ashley Stuart gaining creative inspiration from walking through nature at National Trust sites.
Walking among snow drops at a National Trust site.
A while back I read Rewild Yourself by Simon Barnes and it made me rethink how I experience nature. The author provides sensible, easy ways to make nature more visible. For example, the bottomless sit. Finding a comfortable place to sit (and rest) and remaining still, one becomes camouflaged and nature encroaches unknowingly. Humor is intertwined throughout and I can confidently say the knowledge learned has stuck with me! I've provided a link to the purchase the book and as an Amazon associate I earn a small commission if purchased via the link.
If you decide to venture out, I'd love to hear about your experiences. Where did you go? Did you experience something magical? Have you gone with friends or did you go along? Leave a comment below or share images via email.
]]><![CDATA[Paint and Sip: Colorful DC Cherry Blossoms]]>Fri, 02 May 2025 12:46:06 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/paint-and-sip-cherry-blossoms
What a lovely bunch of blossoms—and on my birthday of all days! A vibrantly painted background of refracted sky and cherry blossom blooms, overlaid with a gray-brown branch covered in white or pink-white cherry blossoms. What an ode to our proximity near Washington, DC just after the cherry blossom season ends. For this painting I introduced a new background painting technique and a new paintbrush (Filbert 8) to easily create the petal shape.

Check out the class schedule for the next painting event and hope to see you soon!
]]><![CDATA[Aspiring Artists: Bright and Sassy Ostrich]]>Fri, 18 Apr 2025 13:33:10 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/aspiring-artists-sassy-ostrich
Art is so noisy, but who knew? When I create and teach my mind is calm and quiet, so this process video is fascinating. This most recent class used acrylic paint to create some illustrative moody ostriches. Each person learned to paint with wet and dry brush techniques, how to use the brush bristles of various brushes to create desired effects and stroke sizes, and mixing primary colors to create the palette. Many giggles, a little frustration, and plentiful masterpieces.

​Check out the class schedule for the next painting event and hope to see you soon!
video on Instagram
]]><![CDATA[2025 Career Day at the Elementary School]]>Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:16:47 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/career-day-at-the-elementary-school
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Career Day was a resounding success!

The students and staff were thrilled to see and learn about a vast number of professions. Each grade level visited three tables to learn about professions of interest.

I was pleased to have so many aspiring artists visit, ready with great questions. I split my table two separate ways: the artist who sells their work as originals, prints, and functional art and the artist who teaches others skillsets in various mediums. The students enjoyed playing with my art stone collection (see picture). I received a lovely stack of thank you cards with one thing they learned about being an artist and a picture of course.

The students loved learning about the art process. I gave the example of how I created my tea towels showing them the original watercolor and the finished product. But I also explained, in Layman's terms, the creative process...
  • beginning with a watercolor;
  • artwork scanning;
  • using Photoshop to clean the edges, remove backgrounds, and create patterns;
  • applying the artwork to specific products;
  • building a website to showcase the product;
  • writing the marketing;
  • and creating the advertising to show the product.

I didn't go into all the nitty-gritty details of graphic design, entrepreneurship, market research, user interface and experience, and so on. That will be another day!

Each table was assigned two interns to help with the stamping of event passports, handing out art class flyers, and getting water. That was a lot of talking for two straight hours! I explained to the interns what an internship is, my experience with paid and unpaid internships, and the importance of doing work you love combined with the removal of payment barriers.
]]><![CDATA[Painting Party at Home]]>Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/painting-party-at-home
You can enjoy a painting party at home with just a few key items.

I've added a couple other favorite frills to make the painting experience more enjoyable and styled. Painting with others is a wonderful way to create memories or learn a new skill. Painting can be calming and therapeutic as well. A typical instructor-led painting event takes around 2 hours, but leaves plenty of time in between for sips, snacks, laughter, and fun. 

See the list below.

Canvas

There are a plethora of canvas sizes out there. You'll need to decide how large you want your final painting to be. If you buy in bulk you may save some money in the long run, that is if you use all of the canvases.

​In a 2-hour timeframe, children can manage a 9x12" canvas really well while adults can manage an 16x20" or larger.

Paint Brushes

It's a good idea to have a few brushes on hand for different sized canvases. A big difference in each brushes will be the shape and size of the bristles. I recommend the following brushes, but as you become more experienced you may want to add brushes like a fan brush to your collection.
I recommend having a couple different sizes of squared brushes, like a size 3/4 and 1/2.
I also recommend having a couple different sized round brushes for a different stroke and finer details.

Water Jar

Any old jar will do! Or you can set the tone with a decorative ceramic jug. You'll use this jar time and time again so make it a piece to bring good memories and joy to the painting process.

​This Japanese bamboo ceramic jar with fitted lid is perfect for holding water during your process and for storing during breaks.

Acrylic Paints

There are a few base colors that are great to have in your paint library, however every painting will require different colors or hues. For example, if you purchase an online instruction video, the instructor will tell you which paints to purchase for the project.

​Be sure to purchase enough paint for each person to have an adequate supply.

You can buy a bulk pack of paints, however there may be some key colors missing, like Burnt Sienna. And there are so many colors one can make by simply having the primary colors.

Palette

You'll need a palette to store your paints and a flat area to mix new colors. The Meeden ceramic palette gives you both in one. This style of palette is easy to clean and gives plenty of space for mixing. In a pinch, you can use an old chipped dinner plate on the side.

Apron

Protect your clothing with the perfect art uniform: the apron. I not only use my apron to protect clothing, but to also dry brushes and hands, too. It has saved many items of clothing from becoming paint splattered.

Made from 100% organic cotton, the "Art Uniform" apron is comfortable and durable, has adjustable straps, and pockets.

Easel

Propping your canvas upright will help your posture while you sit for long periods of time. It can also help your limbs while using them around the canvas. You can also remove the canvas from the easel during the process of adding details or any such reason, but great to have on-hand.

I recommend an easel that allows for varying canvas sizes and can hold the canvas in place while you work. 

Instructor

Whether you purchase access to instruction online, hire an instructor for the night, or become the instructor yourself, someone will need to lead the group through the painting steps and answer questions.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.
]]><![CDATA[Watercolor Antique Tile]]>Mon, 03 Mar 2025 18:59:49 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/watercolor-antique-tile
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One of the best parts of being an artist with a small shop is hearing from my Collectors.

This watercolor antique tile looks so lovely. The frame and mat fit to perfection and I adore the display shelf and accessories. Such a joy to see the piece in its forever home.

​If you have purchased from this art shop and would like to share your original art, print, or functional art (like tea towels and aprons) in its forever home, please send a message! 
Message Ashley
]]><![CDATA[2025 Career Fair]]>Sun, 02 Mar 2025 18:39:15 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/2025-career-fair
I'm excited to share my career as an artist in the upcoming 2025 Career Fair at our local elementary school.

The plan is to have a "studio" set-up so the kids can don the apron and explore a variety of materials. I'll explain my creative process and how I create a living, as well as hand out flyers for upcoming kid's painting events so they can learn more and have a bit of fun. I hope to inspire some young creatives to push their creative limits and reach for the stars!
]]><![CDATA[Winter Landscape Painting Event]]>Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:07:19 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/winter-landscape-painting-event
]]><![CDATA[Looking Back at the 2024 Paintings]]>Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/2024-paintingsWhat a fun library of acrylic paintings from the past year of painting events. Whether it was kid's painting, adult paint-and-sip or private event function, everyone enjoyed learning a few techniques and coming home with a new masterpiece. Join us for the next painting event!
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Winter Gnome Adult Painting
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Winter Fox Children's Painting
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Ash Trees Adult Painting
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Autumn Pumpkin Adult Painting
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Hot Dog Kid's Painting
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Winter Bear Adult Painting
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Spooky Ship Special Event Painting
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Autumn Cow Adult Painting
]]><![CDATA[Winter Bear Painting Event]]>Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.ashley-stuart.com/sketchbook/winter-bear-painting-event
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