They say ... don't forget where you've come from. Well, next month I'll be going back to my hometown to teach a Watercolor Made Easy class on Silver Falls in Autumn.

If you're a local to Junction City, Oregon, I'd love for you to join me for this class at Max Porter's Coffeehouse in downtown on Saturday, October 19 at 5:00 pm.

Have you ever thought about painting in watercolor, but don't know where to start? I teach Watercolors Made Easy in the Willamette Valley and would love to have you come to a class!

Come to Salem and learn how watercolors can be made easy to paint! This class is limited to 15 students and will be in the classroom at Hobby Lobby.

This class will be for everyone from 12 - 99 years and the drawing is already done for you. All materials are included, but you're welcome to bring your favorite watercolor brushes.

In class you get to mix your own favorite colors of sunset with the dark green forests skirting snow covered Mt. Hood. You can have the clouds reflecting their colors in the still waters of Trillium Lake. This is a follow along style of class, but it's very customizable to expand your painting into something uniquely yours.

Nowadays, cell phones can take great photos, so people may want to have their friends take photos of them with their mobile telephones. But there’s a lot more than just snapping an image.

One of the major perks of hiring a photographer is that they know how to pose you. Sure, all the ladies can just have your hands on your hips for all your photos, but looking at picture after picture with hands on their hips can get a little redundant. But this pose does have it's place, especially with a little variation.

There's so many more options for posing and there's a flow that you can direct your models/clients through. Just have them do a couple things at a time and make sure to move your feet to capture different angles. Never stand in just one spot while taking photos, unless there's no where else for you to stand.

People like to shop around, looking for the best deals. I like to shop around, too, but I also like to support other creatives.

And when you support small and local businesses, your money goes to many different things. It’s not just paying for the goods or products, your money goes towards much more. Nearly one third will go towards taxes, and maybe the other third goes towards restocking their inventory, so that might just leave one third or less that goes to food on the table, clothes, bills, and gas.

Not only are you supporting their hopes and dreams, you're also bringing them joy and validation. All of their hard work is appreciated by someone and that someone is you. But sometimes you admire from a far, like a cat sitting on their porch watching the bugs and birds fly through the neighborhood. But the kitty isn't shy to let itself be seen, so let others know that you enjoy seeing their work. There's more than one way to support artisans than with money. Let others know about who you admire. Spread the word and maybe someone else you know will fall in love with their work, too.

So, the next time you’re looking at an artisan’s pricing and think it might be a little excessive, remember that there’s more than what meets the eye.

Here's one more thing for you to think about ... if everyone who admired an artist just bought one greeting card, imagine what would happen. They say that many drops in the bucket fills it up quickly. Don't feel like you need to make a large purchase to support a creative, even the smallest amount of support means a lot.