GIVEAWAY from Artist Holly Carton *CLOSED*

I’m about to give you a chance to win something incredibly special. Family heirloom special. Keeps-making-me-cry-just-thinking-about-it special. I want to help you win your own personalized painting from artist Holly Carton.

Holly somehow manages to infuse your feelings into her artwork so it perfectly represents what you’re wanting to capture. She puts surprise details and hidden meanings into her work that provide layers of meaning. It makes the picture so much more special than just a literal rendering. I’d love for you to check out her work on her website, but I want to show you what she did for me.

This is the moment I truly became a mother:

And this is how Holly captured it:

It’s just so perfect.

The whole process was so therapeutic. That’s the only word I can use to explain it. Holly asked me to describe the moment and to tell her about who I am and who my son is. From there, she painted colors and flowers to symbolize what was happening in this moment beyond the physical. It felt like it  gave me a heavenly glimpse of what was truly happening in the preciousness of that moment.

The flowers around us symbolize relief and peace, but around the edges she also included flowers that represent anxiety. The little blue flower tucked into my son’s hand symbolizes “your presence soothes my pains.” Holly has such a gift not only for the visual, but also for capturing emotions and meaning. It’s amazing how she uses colors and the language of flowers to express what your heart knows, but your eyes couldn’t see. She included me in each step of the process, so I knew I’d be emotional about it, but it was a surprise to me to see how it touched my son (who is 12). He asked if we could put it in his room, or somewhere he could always see it. I feel the same way.

I’m thrilled to introduce you to Holly and to give you a chance to win your own 8×10 Personality Portrait from her. This would be an amazing gift for your spouse, your parents, or your child.

To enter, here’s what to do:

-Comment on this post with who you’d want a painting of. 

-Go “like” Holly’s Facebook page and let her know you were sent by A Musing Maralee on her share of this post.  

We’ll pick a winner on Friday at noon (CST). 

So come learn about Holly’s process in her own words:

When did you start painting? 
I’ve been drawing ever since I could hold a crayon, but didn’t start painting until highschool when I took my first watercolor class. I went to college for Two Dimensional Studio Art and graduated with a BFA.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I’m hugely inspired by stories, whether they’re from the books I read or from the people I talk to. I believe that every person is made in the image of God, and as such, every person has incredible worth. It’s important to me to show not only what they look like on the outside, but who they are on the inside as well.

What is your creative process like? How do you collaborate with your clients? 
When I start to work with a client, I spend some time asking them questions, getting to know them, and working with them to decide on the colors and imagery we want to use in the paintings to make it as meaningful as possible. I work from pictures that they send me, and combine those with my creative imagination to bring in other imagery that will add deeper meaning (ie hiding toy trucks in a little boy’s shirt, using flower-meanings to add depth of meaning, etc). I’ll do sketches of the composition, and then a few color studies to make sure we’re on the same page before I start painting. I typically communicate over email, so that I can share pictures of my process with them as I work.

How do you find time to create?
I work from home with my baby, and so most of my creative time is spent during her naptimes, and then in the evening when I need to.

What do you most enjoy about the process?
I LOVE collaborating with clients; finding out their stories, hearing what they love about the person they’re gifting the painting to – that personal connection is what really brings the magic to the process for me. I also love working with watercolors; the way the pigments move on the paper, the tactile sensation of the brush and the paint together – it’s a very meditative way to work.

I’m so excited for someone to get the opportunity to work with Holly! Comment below to be entered and I’ll do the drawing Friday (11/16/18) at noon CST. I can’t wait to see what she creates for you! 

Come find Holly on her website, Facebook and Instagram.

*Congrats to Carissa! I can’t wait to see what Holly creates for you!*