My first home-grown peonies ever are blooming. These big ruby beauties are the bounty from a bush that was already established when we moved into our new Colorado Springs home. Weighted down with dozens of open flowers this morning, this remarkable plant seems to be a gift from Heaven.

When we first arrived in our new home, we found a letter on the kitchen counter: ~ "Dear New Homeowner - You have a peony bush in the front yard!" With a few more lines about upkeep, something tells me it was their pride and joy.

Last week, I cut a few flowers (after all, there were already so many!) and brought them into the studio. Even though they were in fresh water with food, they closed up tight within moments. Nothing I did seemed to help, so I set them on a shelf near the window, resigned, but not yet willing to throw them away.

But then something unexpected happened.

This morning, I had a surprising discovery. When I started laying out my paints, I noticed something different. The vase of peonies was sitting in partial sunlight. Suddenly, as I watched, one of the peonies began to open. I realized then, all she ever wanted was the sun. And I understood a very simple truth. The peony bush had weathered snow and bitter cold this past winter, waiting for the moment when it could open its blossoms to the light. Why would I deny this one wish to something that brings so much beauty into my world?

I immediately transferred the vase of flowers into the full sunlight of my east-facing window. No special plant food, no angular cutting, no overnight refrigeration or special supplements were the answer to the mystery.

Mother Nature wanted to do what she does best, to reach for the sun with the pink fingertips of her gossamer petals. Even in the last hours of life, the flowers stayed open, hoping for sunlight.

In the midst of all the chaos of this world, I felt comfort in that one moment of grace.

We'll paint aspens, poppies, snapdragons, lilies, and roses in seven full-length lessons you can download and keep. With my special secret sauce medium, we'll paint together step by step, with super easy set-up and cleanup in a safer, healthier studio with no smelly solvents or chemicals.

If you've been longing for a new approach and you have no fear of color, Big Bold Acrylics delivers something absolutely new and vibrant. Prepare to get inspired and excited about a beautiful summer adventure coming your way soon, flower friend!

"I highly recommend taking all of Nancy Medina's online courses. She is a wonderful teacher and artist. She holds nothing back and the videos are shot high quality. She has lots of extras where you can ask questions and the paintings are full of colour and beauty. The screen shows the setup and Nancy's painting. Her palette is on one screen, which is very helpful. A perfect companion to assist you in finding your own style. I've taken other online courses and these are the most professionally shot and organized."

~ Elizabeth Mitchell

"Well, I want to recommend Nancy's workshops to my friends, but I am afraid I will have to warn them it may change their lives! Going to France and watching Nancy paint was one of the best experiences of my life. The conversations I had with everyone prompted me to do some serious soul searching. While we were at the Abbey, I got a text asking me if I would be interested in a job. It would be working for a small county and would be a salary cut. Normally, I would have said no, but I realized on this trip that I wanted to paint more and my present job was too emotionally draining. So I accepted the job and this morning I felt energized enough to paint before work. You have really changed my life for the better!"

~ Cindy Zuniga ~ France 2019 Alumni

Seven years ago, I quit my corporate job as the director of a national magazine to become a full time artist and art teacher. One morning I had an epiphany: Life is too short not to follow your bliss. I never dreamed that painting would someday allow me to travel around the world.

In the past year, I've worked with Disney and painted on national TV! Every day I wake up and my heart surges with happiness. Yes I am an artist. Yes, this is what I do for a living. Yes, I am a lucky girl. Thank you to each of you who have walked with me on this path. Whatever your tomorrow brings, may it be filled with color!