ELEVATE YOUR ART MAGAZINE: Winter '25

W inter 2025

E L E VA T E Y O U R A R T Magazine Featuring Photoshop Artists

featuring

IR ENE BOW ER S

Cover Image by:

SU E A N DER SON

Reviewer

Mem bers of the review team are integral to the success of hundre ds of P hotoshop art i st s. H i g hly trained, they provide over 15,000 video reviews a year for me mbe rs of Beyond t he Brushe s.

Vid eo feed back is the key to success for many who are new to P hotoshop pai nt i ng!

Feat ured

A r t i s t : S h e i l a Te n n e s i n s t a g ra m . co m /s h e i l ate n n e s S h e l ia b e cam e in s p ire d by s o m e As i a n f u r n i t u re pi eces t h a t s h e wa nted to d i s pla y i n a s pare bed ro o m . Lo g ical ly, s h e f ig ure d a b i t of c u lt u ra lly a ppropr i a te a r t wou ld b e a g ood compa n i on, a nd w hy b u y i t w h en you ca n pa i nt i t you r s elf ?

W EL COME...

We came to the close of fall and headed straight into winter! Yet, there is just something rejuvenating about it. Maybe it’s because, here in Tennessee, we finally got a break from all the heat, but there is something else that is special. We all go through different seasons in life, and the fall tends to be a time of togetherness with holidays kicking off the winter and the new year not far behind.

In this issue, we’re going to be talking about the different seasons in your artistic journey and how art is a multifaceted career, especially when it comes to making all seasons of memories all the more special.

Michelle

C OV E R I M AG E BY A r t i s t : S u e A nd e r s o n fi ne a r t p hoto gr a p hy 18 . my p i x i e s et . co m / S u e a d ores t h e b on d b et ween d og s a n d t h ei r h u ma n s .

T h i s li t t le b oy b on d i n g wi t h h i s b es t f r i en d ca u g ht h er eye a n d ca pt u red h er h ea r t . Now, t h ei r mu t u a l con n ec t i on a n d pea ce i n t h ei r s u r rou n d i n g s i s en ca ps u la ted i n t h i s memora b le pa i nt i n g .

Ma g a z ine © M iche l l e Pa r s l ey, M. Ph oto g . , M. A r t i s t , C r. , C PP St u d e nt im a g e s © re m a i n w i t h e a c h i n d i v i d ua l a s n ote d .

Screen captur ing a rt wo rk fro m t he m a g a z ine fo r yo ur ow n us e - w h et h e r p e r s o n a l o r co m m e rc i a l us e - i s a vi olat i on of th e a rt ist s’ co py rig ht which is p un i s h a b l e by Fe d e ra l f i n e s of up to $ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 p e r i m a g e .

P l e a se b e re sp e ct fu l of t h e co py r i g ht of t h e a r t i s t s . T h a n k yo u.

MAST H EAD & CONTRI B UTOR S

MICHELLE PARSLEY PUBLISHER HANNAH PARSLEY COPYWRITER CATH SMITH EDITOR ARTICLE: IRENE BOWERS IMAGES: SUE ANDERSON SHEILA TENNES DIANNA RUCKER KELLY O’KEEFE KATHLEEN BARBER ROWENA CHERRY RUSSELL KINERSON DIANNA PAULK DORIS WOODRUFF PATTI FORD IRENE BOWERS BEKKIE HARPER JANICE BATTERBEE SUE ANDERSON NANCY FRAKES MARGARET GOODWIN ANN LAUWERS

CONTENTS Feat ure d Rev i ewe r : S h e i l a Te n n e s Wel com e f ro m M i c h e l l e Mak in g Me m o r i e s Art is t Fe at u re : I re n e B owe r s Ruf us is a L I A R!

P1 P2 P1 3 P1 5 P25

A r t i s t : D i an n a Rucke r w w w. r uc ke r p h otog rap hy.com D ian n a fo un d h e r pu ps comfor ta b ly s ea ted on h er c h a i r on e mor n i n g a n d h a d to ca pt u re t he m e m o r y. J us t the wa y t h ey look ed , s h e k n ew i t wou ld ma k e a g rea t pa i nt i n g. Cha ng i ng t he s ettin g to f it th e p air h elped b r i n g t h e pa i nt i n g to li fe. T h ei r c u ten es s n ow h a n g s on he r wa l l to b e c h er i s he d foreve r.

K ELLY O ’ K E E F E Kelly could simplify t his se rie s into t wo wo rd s — p a l et te k n i ve s . He r i nspi ration was cataly ze d by a L I V E se ssio n, whe re Mi c h e l l e s t a r te d by a ski ng w hat the ar tist s wo u l d like to se e he r p a int . Ke l ly c h i m e d i n , a n d h e r su ggestion for the loo se p a inte rly lo o k wa s se le cte d . A i m i n g to a c h i eve that same painter ly lo o k , Ke lly d u g b a ck into he r a rc h i ve s a n d fo un d t h e photo of the gir l on the b e a ch. Using t he L I V E a s a g ui d e , Ke l ly fo l l owe d a lo ng mimicking the te chniq u e a nd m et ho d s. The co l o r s we re eve n i nspi re d by the ones cho se n d u ring t he L I V E se ssio n . O ve r t h e m o o n w i t h how i t tur ned out, Ke l ly d e cid e d to t a ck l e a not he r p ro j e c t .

The ot her two images a re siste rs t hat she p hoto g ra p h e d l a s t ye a r.

Watching the replay, Ke lly re affirm e d he r p ra ct ice a n d re c re ate d t h e l o o s e pa i nterly look twice mo re ! Tho u g h t he d re sse s we re o r i g i n a l ly g re e n , Ke l ly swapped the green fo r a soft p ink to a d d so m e co nt ra s t . T h e m ot h e r, a lo ng- time client of Ke l ly, crie d whe n she saw t he f i n i s h e d p i e ce s . T h ey a re bea u ti fully framed an d ha ng p ro u d ly in t he ir l iv ing ro o m .

A r t i s t : K at h l e e n B a r b e r w w w. k b a r b e r f i n e a r t . co m / Ka t hleen un exp e c te dly e n co unte re d th is b a r red owl wh i le ou t b i rd i n g . P erc h ed q u i et ly a mi d s t t h e t ree s , she a lmos t m is s e d it, b ut l uc kily, h e r h u s b a n d poi nted i t ou t . Ta k i n g M i c h elle’s s u g g es t i on s , s h e ma d e t he highli g ht e dg e p o p us in g th e c h iaros c u ro tec h n i q u e. P a let te k n i ves a n d b ra yer b r u s h comb i n ed to m ake th is a n u nforg et ta b le b i rd i n g a d vent u re.

A r t i s t : Rowe n a C h e r r y www. fa ce b o o k . co m / I m a g eI n at i o n by Rowe n a Rowena p ic ks s ub j e c ts th at inte re s t h e r w h en followi n g a lon g wi t h t h e les s on s , a n d wh o d oes n’ t li ke pu ppies? Th e exe rc is e was to c re ate a n u n d er pa i nt i n g a n d t h en a d d color, a n d ju s t li k e t h i s pu ppy, Rowen a g ot train e d r ig ht. E xce pt fo r h er, t h e ex per i en ce a n d s k i lls lea r n ed were t rea t en ou g h .

A r t i s t : Rus s e l l K i n e r s o n Ru s s ell t ra veled to S moky Mou nta i n Na t i on a l P a r k a n d woke u p to t h i s on a b ea u t i f u l s pr i n g mor n i n g . He lef t t h e t r i p wi t h a 3-photo pa n ora ma a t C a d es C ove t h a t h a n g s i n h i s li v i n g room bu t fi na l ly wor k ed u p t h e cou ra g e to pa i nt t h e s cen e, a d d i n g t h a t s pe ci a l tou c h to a b ea u t i f u l s ou ven i r.

A r t i s t : D i A n n a Pa ul k w w w. d i a n n a p a ul k . co m DiA nna enjoyed th e daily v is its of th is yo un g d eer to h er b a c ky a rd . Wa tc h i n g h i m g row, s h e k n ew i t wou ld n’t be long before he wo uld m ove o n to g re e n e r p a s t u res . S h e commemora ted t h e v i s i t s by c h a n g i n g t h e or i g i na l d a r k brow n s ur ro un din g s to a b e autif u l f i eld of b lu e a n d g old t h a t s h e i ma g i n ed h i m v i s i t i n g .

A r t i s t : D o r i s Wo o d r uf f

Doris retur n e d to h e r s til l-l ife ro ots and a i med to c rea te a s mu c h d i men s i on a n d color h a r mony a s she ha d in p as t traditio n al p aintin g s . S h e en joyed h er t i me wor k i n g w i t h Br u s hy G ood n es s a n d wa s ent hra lle d to f in d th is p ie ce fe l t m o re li k e wor k i n g on a ca nva s . It wi ll b e a pra c t i ce to ret u r n to t i m e a n d t i me a g a i n .

M AK I NG M EM OR IE S One thing we can count on in life is change.

Fro m the seasons to the art movements, change is a constant, but that isn’t a bad thing. It often brings with it much-needed experience, growth, and development. Yet, that doesn’t make going through change ea sy.

Ever heard the phrase “Out with the old, in with the new?” Sometimes, that can be exciting, but other times, it is a dreaded experience.

As a momma, it was a joy to be there through all the stages as my babies grew up, but there was a bittersweet aspect to it.

My BABIES were growing up! They were becoming more independent, more self reliant, and carving out their own paths in life.

But that’s what I raised them to do, so why was it so hard?

Even though that change can sometimes be a bear to swallow, want to know how I and many other parents got through it?

Pictures!

Oh yes, those precious little time capsules of memories were just the medicine I needed for the growing pains.

Better yet, I could take those photos and paint the m to imbue my own emotions and feelings about that particular memory. It was like getting to relive all the “good ole days” right from my studio.

That’s something I love about creating art and cherished keepsakes. I don’t usually just get a photo. I get a story, and with each brushstroke, I try to retell the heart of that story.

Art is so much more than just pretty pictures.

It is a multi-faceted discipline, and two of my favorite facets are storytelling and memory preservation.

What is it about art that draws you in? Is it the storytelling? The memories? The restoration?

The challenge?

Whatever it may be, just know it is a hobby AND career path that always gives you room to pivot and wear a slightly different hat.

So, as you navigate all of the seasons and changes in your own artistic journey, know that what you are doing • Is valuable • Is cherished • Is important Use that to motivate yourself, push through, and make the memories last.

A r t i s t : Pat t i Fo rd w w w. p at t i fo rd p h oto . co m

P atti s aw a p ic ture of Grah am a n d h i s n ew d og on s oc i a l med i a a n d k n ew s h e wou ld love to p h oto g rap h th e m . S h e s ta r ted wi t h a mon oton e i ma g e of mos t ly b row n s b u t ch an g e d h e r m in d to l ive n up the b a c k g rou n d . T h e pa rent s were t h r i lled wi t h t h e res u lt of t h ei r k eeps a k e.

A RTIST FE ATU R E

A R T I S T F E AT U R E

I R E N E BOW E R S B R I N GI N G P H OTO G RA P HS TO LIF E

P I C T U R E T H I S , A YO U N G G I R L S E T U P AT A N E AS E L W I T H H E R V E RY OW N B R U S H ES , CA N VAS , A N D T U R P E N T I N E . H E R D U TC H G RA N D M OT H E R D OT ES O N H E R A N D LO O K S O N AS S H E P U T S T H E B R U S H TO T H E CA N VAS FO R T H E V E RY FIRST TIME.

A r t i s t : Ire ne B owe r s

A r t i s t : Ire ne B owe r s

It sounds like a scene from a movie, doesn’t it? For Irene, this scene is just one of the many cherished memories from her life, but that doesn’t mean she followed the straight and narrow on her creative path.

Developing a love for illustrative pen and ink work, Irene studied art as a major in college. However, like many artists, wellmeaning people influenced her to lay down he r pens and brushes in exchange for a ca reer they believed would offer her more financial stability. Luckily, Irene’s draw to create brought her back into the realm of art, and there was no turning back.

Her dive into digital art began about 10 years ago when a colleague introduced he r to the mixer brush. Captivated by the creative possibilities it could add to her workflow, Irene dove in head first. While ea rning her Master Artist degree through the Professional Photographers of America, she created complex composites, using the mixer brush as her go-to tool. With guidance from various instructors, Irene explored more advanced techniques, which made joining Beyond the Brushes in 2019 the next logical step.

All of the lessons have been invaluable to Irene in developing her skills, but there were areas, like composition, that already ca me naturally to her. Compositing played a key role in Irene’s creative process for this series. He r inspiration came intuitively.

For instance, the ballet dancers had a distinctly Parisian look to her, so she composited the background, dancers, and birds into a single piece. For the cows, the backdrop from her walk was dull and uninspiring so she transported them to a new setting, adding her own touches.

Color is also something that sparks Irene’s creativity, and it came into play for her

other paintings. The portrait of the young lady in blue was inspired by the use of complementary colors. As for the bird, it was photographed at a local zoo, and the colors in its feathers captivated her. She decided to enhance them and incorporate green and gold tones in the background to evoke a sense of nature. For Irene, inspiration is about translating the internal vision of what the subject communicates to her — unless, of course, she is following a client’s specific direction. This se ries blossomed from personal creative exploration where she was free to follow her muse.

Dancing in Paris was inspired by a photograph Irene captured during a ballet workshop. The couple’s fluid pose, elegance, and poise attracted her i nterest in turning it into a painting. The real challenge came when the background she decided was the perfect setting for the young couple was dark and stormy, but she tackled it head-on like a true composition artist. She painted the base with the dancers, adjusted the colors of the ir outfits, and overlaid the Eiffel Tower, reducing the opacity to seamlessly blend it i nto the scene.

Reflection came from a stylized senior shoot, where Irene and a friend were playing with fabrics and concepts. Though the photograph was enticing, Irene left it alone until she got enough tools in her belt from Beyond the Brushes. Color-toning the image and painting the background and fabric to look organic all while maintaining the young girl’s skin tone proved to be a major challenge. Freehanding the bit of headscarf that floats in front of the girl was one of the final touches that gave the painting the feeling of movement.

I R E N E R EC E I V E D C E R T I F I CAT I O N S F R O M P R O F E S S I O N A L P H OTO G R A P H E R S O F A M E R I CA AS A M AS T E R A R T I S T A N D M AS T E R P H OTO G R A P H E R .

W H E N I N T H E M I D S T O F H E R C R E AT I V E P R O C E S S , YO U ’ R E M O R E L I K E LY TO S M E L L A FA L L CA N D L E T H A N H E A R A S O U N D AS S H E FA L L S I N TO M E D I TAT I V E H A R M O N Y W I T H H E R B R U S H E S .

A r t i s t : I rene B owe r s

The Protector was captured at a zoo.

Ironically, the bird wasn’t part of any exhibit, and Irene was thrilled that her camera’s zoom allowed her to catch it in stunning detail. She aimed to paint an organic background that would complement the intricacy of the nest and evoke a feeling that the bird was in its natural habitat. Creative liberties had to be taken with the lighting because the bird was in the shade for the original, but it let Irene exaggerate the colors of the feathers and eggs to bring the scene to life.

Sisters was the only commissioned piece in this series, and the client provided a photo of his granddaughters playfully seated in a planter. That inspired Irene to create a floral background. With that decision came several challenges in harmonizing the different perspectives of the girls and the background. Irene painted in the necessary elements; adjusted the color and contrast of the girls; added touches of sunlight, hair, flowers, and grass to enhance the scene; and painted the sky from scratch. In the end, everything came together beautifully, and the client was thrilled.

A r t i s t : Ire ne B owe r s

Last but not least, Grazing came from a spe cial moment captured on Irene’s cell phone. On a morning walk, she encountered two cows grazing in a pasture. The background left more to be desired, but she found one that was more appropriate and got to work color-toning the image. She wanted to give it an autumnal feel, and once she integrated the elements, she painted the ima ge, adding intentional sunlit backlighting to the subjects. Never binding herself to the original photograph, Irene felt this proved a simple cell phone capture could be transformed into a stunning painting.

When asked if she had any other comments about her experience with Beyond the Brushes, Irene said, “Our photographic community is full of incredible instructors who teach Photoshop skills and digital painting. What sets Beyond the Brushes apart is its focus on developing artistic skills and providing in-depth formal art education in a methodical way that’s hard to achieve in a short, weeklong course. The requirement to create portfolios as you progress is reminiscent of higher education, offering a structured and comprehensive learning experience.”

A r t i s t : Ire ne B owe r s

A r t i s t : B e k k i e Ha r p e r www. face b o o k . co m / b e k k i e . h a r p e r/

Bek k ie a d mires the e le g an ce an d p o etr y of b al let . T h i s i ma g e b eca me a n oppor t u n i t y to i mb u e h er s elf, a s it s e e m s to h e r lik e mu ch of her l ife take s p lace b ac ks tag e . Ra t h er t h a n wa i t i n g “ I n t h e W i n g s” on t h i s on e t h ou g h , i t q u i ckly b e ca m e a p aint i n g to b e on t h e ma i n s ta g e.

A r t i s t : Ja n i ce B at te r b e e www. inst a g ra m . co m / j a n i ce b at te r b e e 1 6 9 5 /

Ja nice ha d th e p le as ure of p aintin g h e r f r i en d ’s b ea u t i f u l d og . Wa nt i n g to g et i t ju s t r i g ht , s h e res ta rte d the pa intin g th re e tim e s b ut b e cam e s a t i s f i ed a f ter i n cor pora t i n g a few poi nter s f rom h er rev i ewer.

Achieving th e re s ul t s h e was h o p in g for, Ja n i ce wa s conf i d ent s h e wa s of fer i n g a por t ra i t h er f r i end cou ld t rea s u re.

r a i L

RUFUS IS A

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve told my children, “Stupid should be painful.” Now, before anyone gets up and arms with that, I’m not saying they should get hurt. I’m just saying I hope they learn from their mistakes so bigger ones don’t happen.

But what happens when the bad decision is painful for someone else? Rufus LOVES when this happens, and his favorite thing? When the bad decision is actually a bad choice of words.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” right? WRONG! From being told art won’t get me anywhere in life to being told to get a real job, goodness has Rufus pulled out all the stops in h elping people come up with the worst things to say (an d, usually, at the worst times).

Sometimes, they are passing comments from strangers to which I give rent in my mind, and other time s, they are comments from people I love that meant well but cut deep.

It’s when these happen that Rufus starts his mu rmurings:

“Art won’t get you anywhere because you’re no good at it. You know it, and they know it too.”

“Why don’t you quit now before you really embarrass yourself?”

“You’re all dried up. You have nothing new to offer.”

“You’re going to fail. You’re not going to be good enough. You never were.”

I’m sure similar thoughts have crossed the minds of almost every artist, so how do we move past it and have the confidence to go on?

I don’t know how to describe it other than my why, my purpose, my reason for creating art.

For me, I needed to create like I needed to breathe.

Creating was my lifeline as a child. Art was an escape from the reality of day-to-day life, but that’s not all that drove me toward that passion.

I’m an introvert and a homebody, but would you believe that I have an adventurous spirit?

Each piece of artwork became an imaginative pondering, a challenge I just had to accept.

I spent A LOT of quiet time thinking and reflecting, and that led to new ideas for artistic adventures. Each one became a mental reward that surpassed the negativity.

Don’t get me wrong. There were still several times I wanted to throw in the towel and have a “normal” job, but each time I did that, I ended up tail-tucking and running back to creating.

So, when Rufus is trampling your confidence, when people open their mouths and say something hurtful or insulting, and when it seems like it would be better to just give up, remember: 1) WHY are you creating art?

The only way I can explain my why for cre ating is it was God-driven.

2) You are NOT alone in your struggles.

It was a day-in, day-out constant positive that got me through the dark times and brought so much happiness and joy into my life. Art opened doors I never dreamed existed. Art grew my soul and my heart. Art played a key role in making me who I am today. Art made unforgettable memories and helped me to do the same for others.

3) YOU CAN DO THIS!

A r t i s t : Sue A n d e r s on f i n e a r t p h oto g ra p hy 1 8 . myp i x i e s et .com/

S u e comb i n ed 3 loves i n t h i s pa i nt i ng — fa m i ly, a n i ma l b on d s , a n d la n d s ca pes . Swa ppi ng ou t a La s Veg a s s u b d i v i s i on a t s u n s et for Re d Rock C a nyon , S u e c rea ted a compos i te of he r brot he r a n d h i s d og . T h ei r ref lec t i on as t hey wa tche d t h e s u n s et d emon s t ra ted t h ei r bond a nd he r b rot h er ’s comp a s s i ona te s ou l .

NA NC Y FR AK E S Na n cy pa i nt s ph otos t h a t s pea k to he r, a nd once compelled , t h e c rea t i ve proces s b eg i ns w i t h fi g u r i ng ou t t h e compos i t i on , t h e c rop, a n d t h e focu s . For e a ch pa i nt i n g , Na n cy b eli eves i t i s i mpor ta nt to focu s on t he eyes of t h e s u b jec t a s t h ey repres ent t h e l i g ht a nd s ou l w i t h i n t h a t li v i n g b ei n g . Ever y t h i n g els e i n t he pa i nt i ng s h ou ld b e poi nt i n g towa rd a n d s u ppor t i ng t he m .

Na n cy s ta r t s h er pa i nt i n g s w i t h a g en era l conce pt a nd a n open mi n d b eca u s e s h e wa nt s h er pa i nt i n gs to ta ke a l i fe of t h ei r own . P h otos h op h elps s i n ce s h e ca n ex pe r i m e nt on a s epa ra te la yer, a n d i f i t d oes n’ t wor k , s he cha nge s i t or t ra s h es i t i f i t i s n’ t t h e r i g ht d i rec t i on . T h e ha rd e s t pa r t i s f i g u r i n g ou t w h en s h e’s f i n i s h ed . T h rou g h ou t he r cre a t i ng proces s , s h e a s k s , “Does i t n eed a li t t le m ore or a l i t t le les s of s omet h i n g? ” Lea v i n g i t for a few d ay s a nd com i ng b a c k wi t h f res h eyes i s t h e b es t wa y s he ha s fou nd to a n swer w h et h er i t i s com plete .

A r t i s t : Ma rg a ret G o o d w i n ww w. p i xe l s a n d p a i nt . s t ud i o

Ma rg aret s to p p e d s c ro l l in g w h e n t h i s s toc k i ma g e popped u p. Hon or i n g t h e b on d b et ween them, s h e wante d to p aint th at s e ns e of ca ma ra d er i e a t t h e en d of a h a rd d a y ’s wor k on t h e fa rm. S e le c tin g a m o re m ute d co lor pa let te complemented t h ei r rela t i on s h i p a n d ma d e t h e s u b jec t s s ta n d ou t .

A r t i s t : A n n La uwe r s w w w. a n a r t i s t v i ew. n et

Ann gets exc ite d ab o ut n ew p up p ie s , a n d h er n ew f u r b a by, P oppy S u e, wa s n o except i on to t h a t .

She wa nte d to p o r tray P o p py w ith h er n a mes a k e on a t ra d i t i on a l b a c k g rou n d . Need les s to s a y, i t was a tail-wa g g i n g ex per i en ce for A n n to pa i nt .

E L E VAT E YO U R A R T. C O M