We all need a little freshening up from time to time, don’t we? My Everyday Artist blog is approaching its 11th anniversary, and I noticed the old girl was looking a little worn and dated, so I decided it was time to give her a complete makeover. She got a fresh new look, and she’s ready for her debut! What do you think of the results?
I couldn’t wait to share this with you. It’s taken months of work, but after ten years of creating on Blogger (and being frustrated with the platform), I finally bit the bullet and moved everything to WordPress. All of my old posts, videos, and tutorials are still here – they just have a prettier place to live now! Let me give you a quick tour…
Now there are several ways to search for a post. You can type in a subject in the box under the Search button. Or look up a post by date under the Posts button. Or browse Categories like “Tutorials”, “Sketches”, “Travel”, etc. All of these buttons can be found in the sidebar to the right.
If you’d like to be sure you never miss a post, sign up to Follow the Everyday Artist blog by email. Each time I post, you’ll receive an email notification.
The Subscribe button offers a way to sign up for my email newsletter. And when you subscribe, you’ll receive a free watercolor tutorial as a thank you!
Also in the sidebar, you’ll see links to my social accounts, where you can become a friend or follower.
I’ve included a handy link to my FineArtAmerica site, too, where you can order prints of my sketches. Anything you see here on the blog can be uploaded to my online printshop where you can order framed or matted prints. There are also options to have my sketches printed on canvas or various products like mugs, tote bags, and even beach towels! Just send me an email to let me know which image you’re interested in.
At the bottom of the page, I’ve added a You might also like… section. This where the blog search engine pulls up random posts from past years. It’s fun for me to see sketches I did years ago, recipes I’d forgotten about, articles about places I traveled to, and baby quilts I made for infants who are now adolescents. I thought you might enjoy reading some of those oldies-but-goodies, too!
One exciting new addition is my Sketchbook Gallery page where you can flip through some of my favorite everyday sketchbooks and travel journals. (Look for the page tab just below the site header.) They’re even downloadable! Now you can have some Everyday Artist inspiration anytime you like, even when you’re offline. I’ve included older sketchbooks as well as my most recent ones in the gallery, because I think it’s important to show the journey I’ve been on these past ten years. I want my students to see that skill and confidence don’t happen overnight. They build over time until one day you realize that sketching isn’t a struggle anymore, and somehow you’ve developed a style of your own without even trying.
I’ve been posting some of these sketchbooks on my Facebook page recently, but here are two that I’m sharing for the first time today. This first one is a sketchbook from 2012 when I participated in a 75-Day direct-to-ink sketch challenge.
And here’s a collection of more recent sketches…
It’s like you’re in my studio, choosing a sketchbook from my book shelf, and leafing through it. Kinda fun, right?
Under the rotating sketches of the header at the top of this page, you’ll see other page tabs that include links to Videos and Tutorials, as well as an About page and a Contact page with a cute new sketch on it…
But the page I’m most excited about is the one that’s temporarily titled E-Lessons Coming Soon! My new online learning website is close to being finished, and I can’t wait to finally be able to teach virtually and connect with students across the country and around the world. But I have a lot on my plate these days, so it’s taking some time to finalize everything. (We’re in the middle of building a new house, packing to move, and, on top of everything else, my husband is laid up with a broken leg, so I’ve had to take on some extra household chores and serve as his chauffeur.)
The new learning site will have step-by-step PDF tutorials featuring expanded versions of the lessons I’ve been teaching for years in my live workshops.
And I’m also busy creating my first two online video classes. I’ll let you know when the site is up and running!
So, that’s it for your Everyday Artist website tour! I hope you’ll take some time to look around. Do a little armchair traveling or get out your paints and try a tutorial or two. Enjoy the sketches, recipes, travelogues, sewing projects, painting tips, and so much more.
My life has changed dramatically since I started this blog all those years ago. I followed my heart and changed careers, then started traveling the world to teach sketchbook journaling. I became a grandmother four times over. And I grew to love a whole big circle of artsy friends that I hadn’t even met back in 2010. What a wonderful decade it’s been!
I’ll keep on sharing if you keep on reading. Here’s to ten more years!
28 Comments
Leslie, you’ve outdone yourself! This new site is beautiful, and you’re so generous with your art. Thanks for being you.
Thanks so much, Pat. Can’t wait till we can be together again!
Gorgeous! Thank you, Leslie!
It was a long time in coming, but the effort was worth it. 🙂 Glad you like it.
Leslie, as always you nailed it! Everything is so pretty and well thought out! Thanks for all you do. Viv
Thanks, Viv. I’m really happy with the way it turned out. I feel like it’s more a reflection of me and my art.
Excellent site! Congratulations 😊
It is a pleasure to browse it and learn from it!
Thanks, I hope you’ll stop by often.
Congratulations Leslie. I know how hard you work and I must say the results are always stunning and captivating. Here, you have outdone yourself. I plan to spend hours getting lost in your site so if I’m not posting sketches it’s because I’m navigating your world.
And you’ve been a big part of the past ten years. I’m so glad you decided to come to that very first class I taught. Who knew then that we’d become such good friends? Miss you!
Thank you Leslie ….your talent is so important to all of us.
Thank you, Betty. Comments like yours make me think all the effort I put into my blog is worth it.
Only two words describe your new image….EYE CANDY !!!
Thanks so much for all the wonderful inspiration.
Blessings
Thanks so much, Marilyn!
It looks terrific and I’ll continue to anticipate many visits and maybe classes, too!
Thanks for stopping by!
Leslie,
As always, thank you so much for sharing.
And, I’m excited about your online art class.
I want to sign-up and join the day that you’re ready!
Brunella
I’m almost as anxious as you are to have that class up and ready to go! There’s been a steep learning curve in figuring everything out with the filming, editing, and creating a whole new learning website, but in the end, I think you’re going to love what I’ve come up with. 🙂
How beautiful and cheerful, and we all need a little (or a lot) more cheerfulness this past year.
So true, Laura. I do try to focus on the positive here. There enough negativity everywhere else. The Everyday Artist blog is my happy place. 🙂
Loving the new look! Do we need to resubscribe to remain on your mailing list?
No, all my subscribers were brought over from the old site.
This new site is gorgeous——-everything you do is always so perfect ——-and due to hard work. Looking forward to when we can be together at a fun workshop somewhere.
I’m looking forward to that, too, Sandy. Oh, how I miss those days of learning, laughing, talking, and getting so excited about what everyone in class was doing. Such fun!
I am fairly new to everything Leslie Fehling and I love it!!!
The few times I have visited your website, it has excited me and my love for art. I have picked up my pencil to draw once again. I have challenged myself to the 75 day sketch challenge to get back in the groove after many stagnant years.
Thank you Leslie for your beautiful website filled with inspiration, tutorials, fun and sharing your knowledge. Maybe one day I will feel confident enough to enroll and travel to one of your workshops.
With great appreciation for you and what you do!
Sue : )
It’s beautiful!
I appreciate your approach to painting and sketching. Thank you for sharing!
Just Beautiful, Leslie!
Love, love, love the site. Can’t wait to try an online course.!