Four Findings for Curious Creatives-Issue 168
Posted on August 22, 2025


Mixed media Barn wood class
I’m teaching at Little Golden Fox in Madison, Indiana!!! Sept. 26th 2015 1-4pm… Madison Chautauqua weekend!! Come join!
Where Women Create Marketplace
How cool!!! “Where Women Create” is launching a platform where artists can sell their goods!!


Jane Dashley
Loving the story telling in the work of this artist. I want to dig into each piece and explore all of the whimsical elements.
Anne Kelly
This book looks so intriguing. Being a lover of textiles and stitching, Anne’s feed is VERY inspiring!!!



Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 58
Posted on August 18, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”
—Mary Oliver
Inspirational artist of the week: Henry Darger
Henry Joseph Darger Jr. April 12, 1892 – April 13, 1973) was an American janitor and hospital worker who became known after his death for his immense body of outsider art—art by self-taught creators outside the mainstream art community.
Darger was raised by his disabled father in Chicago. Frequently in fights, he was put into a charity home as his father’s health declined, and in 1904 was sent to a children’s asylum. He began making escape attempts after his father’s death in 1908, and in 1910 was able to escape, walking much of the way to Chicago. As an adult he did menial jobs for several hospitals, interrupted by a brief stint in the U.S. Army during World War I. He spent much of his life in poverty and in later life was a recluse in his apartment. A devout Catholic, Darger attended Mass multiple times per day and collected religious memorabilia. Retiring in 1963 due to chronic pain, he was moved into a charity nursing home in late 1972, shortly before his death. During this move, his landlord Nathan Lerner discovered his artwork and writings, which he had kept secret over decades of work.
From around 1910 to 1930, Darger wrote the 15,145 page novel In The Realms of the Unreal, centered on a rebellion of child slaves on a fantastical planet. The Vivian Sisters, the seven princesses of Abbeiannia, fight on behalf of the Christian nations against the enslaving Glandelinians. Inspired by the American Civil War and martyrdom stories, it features gruesome descriptions of battles, many ending with the mass killing of rebel children. Between 1912 and 1925, Darger began producing accompanying collages, often only loosely correlated to the book. Later he made watercolors with traced or overpainted figures taken from magazines and children’s books. These grew more elaborate over time, with some of his largest works approaching 10 feet (3 m) in length. Little girls, often in combat, are a primary focus of his work; for unknown reasons, they are frequently depicted naked and exclusively with male genitalia. Other writings by Darger include a roughly 8,000-page unfinished sequel to In The Realms of the Unreal entitled Further Adventures of the Vivian Girls in Chicago, a decade-long daily weather journal, and The History of My Life—consisting of a 206 page autobiography followed by 4,600 pages detailing a fictional tornado named “Sweetie Pie”.
Darger’s work was unknown to others until after his death, leading to his association with the outsider art movement.






Hand lettering artist of the week: Edward Gorey
When Tom Fitzharris met Edward “Ted” Gorey in 1974, the two quickly struck up a friendship. Over the next year Gorey sent a total of fifty letters to Fitzharris. Every envelope Fitzharris received was illustrated by Gorey, and filled with surprises: typewritten letters with news and opinions from Gorey’s life, handwritten note cards with unexpected quotes, sketches, inside jokes, and a host of other joyous miscellany.






Four Findings for Curious Creatives-Issue 167
Posted on August 15, 2025


My friend, Carrie Schmitt, has written another book!
She has been devoted to creativity for YEARS. This book explores how to bring out your inner artist.
Victoria Topping
I just discovered the beautifully complex works by this artist. Each piece is an adventure full of discovery. LOVE!!


6 SPOTS LEFT!
Join me in Mexico City next Feb! We get to visit the Frida Kahlo Museum, the historical center… and create together!!!
In Vogue the 90’s
I binge watched this series yesterday while sewing. I LOVED IT. It shows how everything happening in the world affects fashion through the years. Very interesting!!!



Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 57
Posted on August 11, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
— W.B. Yeats
Inspirational artist of the week: Cornelia O’Donovan
Cornelia O’Donovan was born in 1981, and trained at the Royal College of Art, London.
O’Donovan plays with old folklore and poetry, but in a loose and dreamlike way. She draws particularly on tales native to the British Isles, and especially Celtic poetry and myth – from the tale of Prince Llewellyn’s grief at the sacrifice of his greyhound Gellert, to the figurative ballads of Ellen O’Leary and lines from WB Yeats.
Her paintings are flat, stripped of all perspective or realism, their surfaces hazy and meandering like an old tale retold a thousand times. Roughly rendered yet delicately arranged, she creates patterned compositions reminiscent of old tapestries, into which she plants naïve pre-Modern motifs. Outlines of old figures, ancient heralds, esoteric herbs and familiar animals all appear like inherited objects worn smooth by the touch of innumerable hands.
They retain the homespun quality of medieval rustic artworks, flowing across the canvas like a stroll through a country garden.







Hand lettering artist of the week: David Schmitt
David Schmitt, born on March 11, 1994 in Bamberg, Germany is a self-taught painter and printmaker. After studying Graphic Design at the University of Applied Sciences in Augsburg he moved to Barcelona to pursue his career as an artist. In his work, he combines an archaic and childlike aesthetic with bold visual presence and commentary, highlighting texture and rough shapes to capture a timeless simplicity.
“I have always been drawn to a certain aspect of storytelling in painting, I think of it as a crossover between Folk-, Pop-, and Cave-art so for me it feels deeply human. There is so much beauty and truth to be found in traditional craftsmanship and old tales of folklore. I hope that we can continue to maintain our appreciation for the involvement of the human hand and mind with all its imperfections as preserving these practices means preserving the soul in the world that surrounds us.”






Four Findings for Curious Creatives-Issue 166
Posted on August 8, 2025


Eloise Renouf
I’m swooning over the graphic style of this artist. I am in love with her shapes, lines and minimal use of color.
Oscar Wilder
This guy is UBER CREATIVE!! LOVING his cardboard portraits SO MUCH. His feed is a true visual adventure!


Miss D
You MUST check out the incredible images created by this artist. Makes me want to play with AI!!! SO whimsical and enchanting!!!
Ingela Parrhenius
Gosh I LOVE the wonderfully quirky ceramic work by this artist. So unique and playful. I especially LOVE her characters!



Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 56
Posted on August 4, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“Let us come alive to the splendor that is all around us and see the beauty in ordinary things.”
— Thomas Merton
Inspiring artist of the week: Petra Börner
Petra Börner (b. 1973) is an award-winning artist based in London, building her artistic universe with a signature line. Translating ideas into series, paired or mirrored artworks; repetition, movement and energy is ever-present in her practice.
Obsessed by exploring methods and materials in new contexts; intuitive work also transform into animation, prints, patterns and take sculptural form; all playful to the eye. Often inspired by natural themes, her Swedish roots ingrained in her intimate work.
With over twenty years of expertise collaborating with a world wide clientele, paired with a unique ability to successfully combine her signature line with tailored projects, she creates timeless, yet eye- catching design.






Hand lettering inspiration of the week: Allen Crawford
Allen Crawford is a graphic artist, naturalist, and author. He’s worked on a broad range of independent projects over the course of his career, including advertising campaigns, editorial illustrations, animations, videos, packaging, product design, logos, identity systems, typefaces, and books.
He and his wife Susan Crawford founded Plankton Art Company in 1996. They work independently in their own distinct styles, but they occasionally team up on larger projects. Their shared background in biology and conservation has enabled them to work with many prestigious science and education-based institutions. Their most notable joint project to date is their set of identification key illustrations for the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The 400 illustrations of corals, invertebrates, crustaceans, fish, and mammals have been on permanent display in the famous Milstein Hall of Ocean Life for over twenty years.
Allen is currently a part-time trail steward for the New Jersey Park Service and has recently received his wildland firefighter certification from the NJ Forest Fire Service. He is also a member of NJ Fish and Wildlife’s Venomous Snake Response Team.






Four Findings for Curious Creatives-Issue 165
Posted on August 1, 2025


Rebloom: Mind, Body, Spirit Retreat
We are in planning for year two or this wonderful experience!!! Mark your calendars for May 4-7 2026. Details coming soon!!
Retreat with me in Provence… April 20-26 next year!!
Spots are filling SUPER DUPER FAST!!! I CANNOT wait to share my mixed media techniques while gathering inspiration in Provence!


Corinne Lent
LOVING the ceramic creations by this artist!!! So utterly charming. I would love a whole wall of her pieces!
Rachel Burke
I always love seeing what this creator is up to. Such fun and playful and just pure JOY!! We need more of this!!



Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 55
Posted on July 28, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever.”
– Walt Disney
Inspiring artist of the week: Maria Prymachenko
Maria Prymachenko was born in 1909 into an artistically talented rural family in the village of Bolotnia. Her mother did embroidery, her father was a carpenter, and her grandmother painted Easter eggs. Just like another outstanding female artist—the surrealist painter Frida Kahlo—Prymachenko suffered from polio as a child, and she also wore long, hand-embroidered skirts to conceal her paralyzed leg.
She learned to draw, paint, and embroider at home. Even though she never acquired any artistic qualifications and had just four years of primary education, she became a professional embroiderer at the turn of the 1920s and 1930s. For the next few years, she worked in nearby Ivankiv until her talents were discovered in 1935 by Tetiana Floru, a textile artist and embroiderer linked to the Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art Museum in Kyiv. Some say she was impressed by Prymachenko’s embroidered shirts on sale at an Ivankiv market. Others claim that Floru was sent out by the Soviet authorities (initially, USSR cultural policy welcomed naïve folk art) to travel around the villages in search of folk artists and was enchanted by Maria’s embroidery on display at a cultural center.






Hand lettering inspiration of the week: Rolly Crump
Rolly Crump was born in Alhambra, California, and joined Walt Disney Studios in 1952. Initially he worked on inbetweening, before becoming an assistant animator on movies including Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. In 1959 he joined WED Enterprises (later Walt Disney Imagineering) and became a designer of some of Disneyland’s attractions and shops, including The Haunted Mansion, Enchanted Tiki Room and Adventureland Bazaar.As well as his work at Disney, he designed innovative and satirical psychedelic posters in the early and mid 1960s, including several for the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band as well as logos for the band’s singer Bob Marley. He also designed guitar string packaging for Ernie Ball.
He was responsible for designing many of the Disney attractions at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, including It’s a Small World, and its Tower of the Four Winds marquee. In 1966, when the attraction moved to Disneyland, he designed the large animated clock at the entrance that sends puppet children on a parade.
He contributed to early designs of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida, and worked on designs for NBC’s Disney on Parade in 1970, before leaving Disney to work on outside projects including Busch Gardens, the ABC Wildlife Preserve in Maryland, and Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus World. In 1975, Knott’s Berry Farm opened Knott’s Bear-y Tales, a dark ride designed by Crump.In 1976 he returned to work for Disney, designing the Land and Wonders of Life pavilions at the Epcot Center, before leaving again in 1981 to design the proposed Cousteau Ocean Center in Norfolk, Virginia, and to set up his own business, the Mariposa Design Group, which developed projects in Oman, Las Vegas, Denver and elsewhere. Crump finally returned to Disney in 1992 as executive designer at Imagineering, working on EPCOT Center.
He retired from Disney in 1996, and published an autobiography It’s Kind of a Cute Story in 2012.






Four Findings for Curious Creatives-Issue 164
Posted on July 25, 2025


Daniel Barrett Mathis
I LOVE how Daniel curates his maximalist home! The way he displays his collections is so very inspiring. And LOVE the use of color!
Clandestine Ceramique
LOVING all of the texture in these GORGEOUS PIECES! OMGGG… so incredibly inspiring. I SO WANT!!


Classic Hollywood Dancers
I could watch this feed ALL DAY. I LOVE the choreography, the costumes and the sets in all the classic Hollywood movies!!
6 SPOTS LEFT!
I’ll be sharing travel journalling techniques as we tour the Frida Kahlo Museum, a colorful market, the historic district and more!!!



Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 54
Posted on July 21, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“Play is the highest form of research.”
— Albert Einstein
Inspirational Artist of the week… Isabella Ducrot
Isabella Ducrot (b. 1931, Naples, Italy) is an artist and writer with a career spanning four decades. Ducrot’s oeuvre is deeply rooted in an extraordinary and enduring interest in fabrics, that is central to both her pictorial works and writings. Sourced during extensive travels over the course of her life, Ducrot has amassed an exquisite collection of fabric that spans centuries and bear origins from across Asia and Eastern Europe – including Russia, Turkey, China, India and Tibet. She considers these fabrics as an art form in and of themselves, to which she has dedicated herself to many years of focused study and views essential to her education. Employing diverse media – including pencil, pastel, ink and watercolor, which she applies to rare papers – her works compress an array of cultural references, ranging from philosophy to folklore and textile weaving. At both intimate and expansive scales, her work reflects a fascination with repetition, form, and color, informed by the rare textiles in her collection. Ducrot’s work was the subject of a recent solo exhibition, Profusione at le Consortium Museum, Dijon and her installation, titled Big Aura was featured at the Dior Haute Couture SS 2024 runway show at the Musee Rodin, Paris. Ducrot has presented solo exhibitions at Petzel Gallery, New York, Gisela Capitain, Cologne, Sadie Coles, London and Standard (Oslo), Oslo. Ducrot lives and works in Rome.










Handlettering artist of the week: Valeria Molinari
Valeria Molinari (she/they) is a multidisciplinary creative from Venezuela, with a diverse practice that includes textile work, video installation, editorial illustration, art direction and community organizing. Experimenting with different mediums is one of her favourite things in the world. For the past roughly ten years, a lot of her work has existed in the cross between art and activism, dealing with the language surrounding feminism. Using fibers as her base medium, she likes to incorporate calligraphy and hand lettering to display her messages. Her practice involves self-examination and research, trying to remind the viewer about the power of words, of concepts, phrases, and lines that have been unquestioned by people for generations, helping to perpetuate thoughts and behaviors around gender, class, race, and sexuality.





