#248 Dawn DeVries Sokol: Author, Artist, and Illustrator

Artist Dawn DeVries Sokol used her journalism degree to edit newspapers and design magazines. That lead to designing books and later writing and illustrating her own books. Her latest books are The Postcard Project and The Planner Book. Dawn also paints custom pet portraits and teaches online art classes. Her workshops can be found on her website as well as on the Creative Bug platform of art classes. Her newest class is called Badass Femmes, which is starting soon, and she’ll tell you all about that in our conversation.

Listen here or download from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, CastBox, Overcast, iHeartRadio, Amazon podcasts, or Stitcher.

Dawn Devries Sokol

Dawn DeVries Sokol

Dawn Devries Sokol
Journal page
Dawn Sokol
Journal page
Dawn Sokol
Digital art
Dawn Sokol
The Postcard Project bookcover
Dawn Sokol
Good Dog bookcover
Dawn Sokol
From her Desert Dwellers collection
Dawn Sokol
Painting on wood, 16"x16"
Dawn Sokol

Dawn’s website is dawnsokol.com

She is also on Instagram @dawndsokol

Her workshops, including Badass Femmes, can be found on her website here and she also has some on Creative Bug.

#247 Jessica Hughes: Artist, Writer, and Creative Leader

Jessica Hughes is an award-winning artist, author, art business coach and single mom of 7. As CEO of Jess Hughes Media & Fine Art, she leads multiple arms of the brand to promote her own paintings and to offer online courses and programs to artists looking to grow authentic, heart-centered and thriving businesses. Jess also co-authored the International Best-seller called She Did It and So Can You, which chronicles her steps and strategies to rapid success. Jess has overcome the dark days of addiction and trauma, to courageously change everything, embrace joy, and never look back. Her purpose is clear: to uplift and empower others in everything she creates. Her writing, painting, speaking, and coaching is a living example that incredible joy and success can exist on the other side of adversity. 

Listen here or download from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, CastBox, Overcast, iHeartRadio, Amazon podcasts, or Stitcher.

Jessica Hughes artist

Jessica Hughes

Jessica Hughes artist
Jessica Hughes artist
Jessica Hughes artist
Jessica Hughes artist
Jessica Hughes artist
Jessica Hughes artist
Jessica Hughes artist
Jessica Hughes artist
Jessica Hughes artist
Jessica Hughes artist

Jessica’s website is jessicahughesfineart.com.

To join her Media Accelerator for Artists & Creators, which begins March 1, 2022, click here.

You also can join her Facebook community called Media Visibility for Artists & Creators.

She is also on Instagram @jessicahughesfineart.

Jessica Hughes artist

#246 Kiana Jones: Artist and Creator of Happening Hands Marketplace

Artist Kiana Jones makes art under her middle name as Rokita Art. Kiana uses watercolor, pens, and embroidery to make beautiful abstracts. Some are large and some are very small and she mounts them into glass lockets to make jewelry. Kiana has also started an online handmade marketplace called Happening Hands. She invites other artists to list their art items, and she provides the platform, marketing, and expertise for getting your art sold. Happening Hands is also an online community, where Kiana provides free resources, videos, and business strategies.

Listen here or download from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, CastBox, Overcast, iHeartRadio, Amazon podcasts, or Stitcher.

Kiana Jones artist

Kiana Jones

Kiana Jones art
Kiana Jones art
Kiana Jones art
Kiana Jones art
Kiana Jones art
Happening Hands marketplace

Kiana’s art website is rokitaart.com and she is on Instagram @rokitaart.

Her marketplace is happeninghands.com and is on Instagram @happeninghands and @happeninghandshandmade

Happening Hands marketplace
Kiana Jones artist

#245 Erik Abel: Modern Surf Art, Animal Art, and Abstracts

Erik Abel is an artist, surfer, and world traveler. He lives in Southern Oregon, an area I know quite well because my mom and her family are from there. Before settling in Ashland, Oregon with his family, Erik surfed and traveled all over the South Pacific. Always sketching, he worked to develop his own unique style, which includes images of ocean waves, nature, animals, and abstract figures. Erik paints with acrylic on boards, and enhances his art with pencils and paint pens. He shows his art in galleries, but he has also completed many commission pieces, sometimes for surfing events. He recently added a large detached studio behind his house, and he’s working to get it filled and see how it helps his art business.

Listen here or download from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, CastBox, Overcast, iHeartRadio, Amazon podcasts, or Stitcher.

Erik Abel artist

Erik Abel

Erik Abel art
Erik Abel art
Erik Abel art
Pacific Patchwork 4
Erik Abel art
Lion of the Mountain
Erik Abel art
Wapiti
Erik Abel art
Ursus
Erik Abel art
Pacific Patchwork 3
Erik Abel art
Erik Abel art
Erik Abel art
Erik Abel art
Erik Abel art
Horizon 4
Erik Abel art
Break in the Storm
Erik Abel art
Arch Rock
Erik Abel art
Erik Abel art

Erik’s website is abelarts.com. 

His abstract art is on abstractpursuits.com.

You can also find him on Instagram @abelarts and @abstractpursuits

If you would like to shift your art practice towards becoming more human, earth, and animal friendly, check out Erik’s website artdetoxchallenge.com and Instagram @artdetoxchallenge. This is an evolving area and Erik will be posting his latest discoveries and thoughts there.

Erik Abel art

#244 Aiden Paez: Inspired by His Mother Karen Emile’s Creativity, Painting Through His Eyes

For something different, I’m talking with two creative people. I saw the artwork of Aiden Paez in a magazine article about his family and his mother Karen Emile’s home styling. The article contained lots of photos of their home, including Aiden’s paintings hanging on the walls. I loved what I saw in that article, so I contacted them. Aiden is a self-taught painter who works in acrylic, and most recently, in oils. His muted color palette is inspired by his Mom’s home décor and the colors that she loves. Aiden is only 15 years old, but he’s a very talented artist. I interviewed them both together so it wouldn’t be so daunting for Aiden, but I also wanted to hear his Mom talk about her creative style. 

Listen here or download from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, CastBox, Overcast, iHeartRadio, Amazon podcasts, or Stitcher.

Aiden Paez artist

Aiden Paez

Aiden Paez art
Aiden Paez art
Aiden Paez art
Aiden Paez art
Aiden Paez art
Aiden Paez art
Aiden Paez art
Aiden Paez art
Aiden Paez and Karen Emile

Karen Emile and Aiden Paez

Aiden’s website is throughaidenseyes.com

He is also on Instagram @throughaidenseyes

His mom, Karen Emile, is on Instagram @milkandhoneylife

Aiden mentioned he like the process painting videos on YouTube of Alpay Efe.

Aiden Paez and Karen Emile