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When you look at a painting by Carla Grace there is a sense of presence, and an undeniable connection to the animals she paints. Every feather, every strand of fur, every reflection of light serves a purpose, inviting the viewer to experience the spirit of the wild rather than simply observe it. Raised in South Africa and now based in Australia, Carla Grace is internationally renowned for her ability to breathe emotion, presence, and soul into wildlife paintings. As one of today's leading wildlife artists, her work has earned international recognition, multiple prestigious awards, and a devoted following of artists and collectors around the world. Alongside her own artistic career, Carla is an inspiring educator, helping students move beyond simply learning techniques to developing confidence, intuition, and their own artistic voice. Carla is inspiring because she has such tremendous capacity for connection and education. She willingly shares her skills on her tutorial platform, educates through social media platforms and touches those that are witness to her with grace and care. We are honoured to work with her as a Seneca Ambassador.  A Partnership Built on Excellence At Willow Wolfe, we believe exceptional artists deserve exceptional tools. That shared philosophy is what made our partnership with Carla Grace such a natural fit. Every Seneca brush set curated by Carla has been carefully designed around the way she paints. Each brush is one she reaches for in her own studio, refined through countless hours of creating highly detailed wildlife paintings in both acrylic and oil. The result is two thoughtfully curated brush sets that give artists everything they need to create expressive, realistic paintings while enjoying brushes that feel like an extension of their hand. Carefully Curated Collections for Realistic Wildlife Painting  Seneca® Master Artist Series Synthetic Bristle Brush Set Featuring Carla Grace: SET200 As Carla's artistic style evolved, so did her brush selection. Her newest Seneca set, featuring the stunning flamingo artwork, builds upon everything artists loved about the original collection while expanding the possibilities for larger paintings, smoother blending, and more versatile mark-making. This collection includes five of Carla's current studio favourites. Included Brushes 1 Liner Fine feathers Whiskers Delicate branches Signature details 2/0 Round Small details Eyes Precise highlights Intricate textures 2 Bright Blocking shapes Controlled texture Building realistic feather and fur patterns 2 Filbert Soft blending Rounded forms Creating natural transitions 4 Filbert Larger areas Smooth gradients Backgrounds Atmospheric effects Soft, painterly finishes   Seneca® Master Artist Series Synthetic Bristle Brush Set Featuring Carla Grace: SET200 This Carla Grace Seneca Set was created around the brushes Carla uses most often when building realistic fur, soft transitions, detailed textures, and expressive features. Included Brushes 0 Round Fine whiskers Individual hairs Small highlights Eye details 2 Bright Controlled edges Short fur textures Building layers with confidence 0 Filbert Soft blending Gentle curves Organic shapes 2 Filbert Larger areas of fur Soft transitions Blending values without harsh edges Whether painting the soft muzzle of a cheetah or subtle variations throughout a coat of fur, these four brushes provide remarkable control while maintaining the softness Carla's work is known for. Why Seneca? Wildlife painting demands extraordinary precision. Artists need brushes capable of creating razor-sharp whiskers one moment and beautifully blended fur the next. Seneca's premium synthetic bristles were developed to deliver exactly that balance. Each brush offers: Exceptional point retention Responsive spring and control Smooth paint release Durable synthetic fibres designed for acrylic and oil Comfortable ergonomic handles for long painting sessions For Carla, these qualities allow the brush to disappear, leaving complete focus on the subject and the story she's telling. "Seneca brushes are a great balance between stiff and medium. I love the crisp lines they can create, in addition to the smoothness of the stroke. They are tough and last much longer than the average brush. A great brush!" -Carla Grace  Brushes Chosen by an Artist, For Artists Neither of Carla's brush sets was assembled by selecting popular sizes from a catalog. Every brush was chosen because it solves a specific challenge that wildlife artists encounter. From laying in the first shapes to painting the final catchlight in an animal's eye, these collections reflect Carla's complete painting process. Whether you're discovering her work for the first time or have followed her tutorials for years, both Seneca sets provide the same professional-quality tools Carla trusts in her own studio every day. No matter which collection you choose, you're painting with brushes designed by one of today's most celebrated wildlife artists, and crafted to help bring your own vision to life. Connect with Carla Grace Whether you're looking to deepen your wildlife painting skills, explore her latest artwork, or learn directly from one of the world's leading wildlife artists, Carla shares a wealth of inspiration through her online platforms. 🌿 WebsiteDiscover Carla's original artwork, online courses, workshops, and upcoming events. www.carlagraceart.com   📸 InstagramFollow Carla for behind-the-scenes studio moments, works in progress, tutorials, and her latest wildlife paintings. @carla_grace_art   ▶️ YouTubeWatch painting demonstrations, educational content, and creative insights from Carla's studio. @carlagraceart    

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Sored Hall by instagram.  I was inspired by her virtual teaching methods and engaging personality.  Her warmth, approachability and willingness to share are exactly what creates a great art teacher.  Her work is also incredible!!! Sored is a self-taught watercolor artist and calligrapher and the creator of Sored Hall Studio.  Her journey began by watching other artists create, and eventually she started to take classes online and in person.  She attributes her success to  practice…a little bit of practice everyday. One of her primary focuses is urban sketches and I asked her why, “It is a very good way to get to know a place and the best way to practice new painting techniques. Buildings mixed with nature are my jam. I am also a faith based artist, this is how I started my calligraphy journey, writing about my faith using beautiful strokes has helped me be more connected with my beliefs and I love to share this with the world.” Sored is multi-talented and paints a great number of beautiful subjects found around the world and in nature. I asked Sored about her teaching, “Teaching what I know is something that came along with my learning process. It wasn’t easy for me to find the right art supplies or how to begin to paint so I like to show others how to get to that point faster and give them the techniques and instrument for them to start creating their own art.”      Discover more about Sored Hall and stay connected:IG: @soredhallstudioWebsite: www.soredhallstudio.comEmail: art@soredhallstudio.com

Every surface is a canvas.  For the new artist, the array of options and ‘rules’ can feel overwhelming.  The trick is not to follow any rules. As an ardent rule breaker myself…I learned long ago, that the pages of a novel make a great painting surface when you run out of watercolour paper.  The goal is to pick up a brush and start somewhere…anywhere. The second trick is that art and perfection do not go hand in hand. The goal isn’t a perfect petal or a perfect feather.   I have heard many new painters express fear at a lack of drawing experience which is why I encourage the transfer of designs. It is a great place to start and you learn how by viewing the following tutorial, “How To Transfer A Design”.  A simple sketch or drawing can be traced onto just about any surface as a guideline for your work. An art journal is a great way to begin. They aren’t restricted to a specific art medium unless you want it to be. You can experiment and explore. It can be used as a diary to work through thoughts and feelings or just a fun way to decompress. The first thing I’d like to note is that you definitely don’t have to spend a fortune in order to start an art journal. Art journals should be fun and shouldn’t make you feel like you have to buy “all the things”. You can use whatever you have laying around your home or studio to contribute to it, or you can gather some supplies from this list below. These are just a few ideas of things you can use in an art journal. The Basics Paper, notebook or old books. If you don’t have access to the purchase of good art paper journals, start with anything you find around the house. If you can grab a good journal, I suggest one with watercolour paper in it. A few basic brushes like a fine round, round, flat and filbert. A few basic watercolour paints. You can use any medium, but I recommend Van Gogh watercolour by Royal Talens. They come in small sets that are perfect for on the go painting. Permanent pen or markers.  I almost always use a black pen in a .3 from Pigma Micron. They are great for defining lines, adding borders or signing work. Extra Fun Stuff Some other additional fun art supplies are calligraphy pens (the traditional kind), ink and coloured pencils. As far as mixed media…the options are endless. Stamps, stencils, glue, wax, strips of coloured paper, old pictures, adhesive and parchment paper. Not to mention real dried flowers which are my favourite. Decoupage or hot glue if you are going to adhere items to the journal. Where to Begin Your journal is a place to tell a story. Here are some ideas to get you started: 1.  About Me Page:  About you…this can be a simple array of your favourite colours, a picture of your favourite place or items that you love. Paste a photo, paint some strokes of colour or paint your favourite food.   Make this page or pages all about you. 2.  Botanical Page:  Add dried flowers and leaves from your garden or neighbourhood. Use dried foliage from places you visited or flowers you were given.  You can also use patterned paper with flowers or greenery. Pictures or drawings of gardens or a written list in rough script of flowers you love. 3.  Favourite Quotes, Songs and Poems: Write your favourite quotes or song lyrics on the page. Use markers, coloured pens or calligraphy to cover the page. 4. Moodboards: These are my favourite. I love to decorate and often look back at the swatches I’ve chosen. A moodboard can be anything…the mood you are in today…how your family makes you feel. Your favourite textures of colours. The options are endless. I hope you get started today and I’d love to see some pictures of your work! With Love, Willow

How do you create the ultimate studio space on a limited budget?  How do you get the most of supplies and household items?  We are living in the midst of a pandemic and given we are tucked within the same four walls day in and day out, it is a perfect time to evaluate our artistic supplies, carve out a creative space or re-purpose those household items. Tip #1 Ikea Ikea has a purpose and it is directly related to art supply shelving and storage.  The Alex units are a personal favourite of mine. They hold cutlery trays filled with brushes, pencils, paper and paint.   https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/alex-drawer-unit-on-casters-white-40196241/. Do be cautious of the weight of too many items per drawer as these drawers do not come apart easily and if they are too heavy the bottom dislodges and it can be a pain to fix.  Otherwise, they move with you, take a beating, clean easily and are awesomely functional.  Ikea will deliver right now, but they won’t put items together…pour a few stiff drinks…and be ready to read the most frustrating instructions of all time! Tip #2 The Tube Wringer or Paint Key Yep one of those toothpaste tube wringers is a fantastic tool for getting that last bit of paint onto your palette. Tip #3 The David’s Tea Tin Nothing serves a higher purpose in the Willow Wolfe household than tea tins!!! Brushes and brushes and brushes fill my studio, main floor, bathroom and bedroom and I love tea. These amazing tins are the best brush holders money can buy! Tip #4 Hardware Store and a Saw Surfaces can be costly. I stock up on masonite/hardboard. Simply head to your local hardware store and request a 4’x8′ foot sheet of masonite in 1/4″.  They will often cut it in half or quarters for you. They will not often cut it down to standard sizes. I take my sections home and cut them down to 8×10, 9×12 and 11×14. One or two sheets will result in a few dozen surfaces for you to get creative on a budget.