Note from the Atelier ​ Hi There Reader... February always feels like a quieter month of intention for me. Not the bold, goal-setting kind, but the kind that shows up once the year settles in. Lately, that has been shaped by being snowed in more than usual. My instinctive reaction is always ugh, more snow. But if I am honest, I love it. I love the colors that show up when everything else is muted. I love the long shadows, the subtle shifts and the way the light slows things down. I'm sharing some of my snowy photos below. That slowing has found its way into the studio as well. I have been paying more attention to how I start, what I reach for first and how small choices affect the overall mood of a piece. Less urgency, more intention. That thread runs through this issue, from using red thoughtfully to building studio habits that make it easier to begin. As always, thank you for being here and for sharing this creative season with me. I hope something in this issue invites you to notice what you are drawn to right now, even if it surprises you. Stay warm and safe,

At the top of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps. January 2020.

A local road, on my way home from the store. January 2024.

Even your back yard can be a visual delight. January 2026.

Happy Valentine's Day: Using Red with Intention

Red is a color that demands attention (ironically, it's my favorite color!). It carries emotion, warmth and movement, which is why it can feel intimidating to use. In February, when palettes tend to be quieter and light is cooler, red has the potential to either overwhelm or elevate a painting.

However, used thoughtfully, red does not need to dominate to be effective. Even small amounts can guide the eye, establish mood or introduce energy into an otherwise restrained composition.

Five Tips for Working With Red

1. Use red as an accent, not a foundation​
   A small amount of red often has more impact than large areas of it. For example, a red scarf in a winter street scene or a single red chair in an otherwise neutral café painting can become a natural focal point without taking over the composition.
2. Soften red before it hits the canvas​
   Straight-from-the-tube red can feel harsh. Try muting it slightly for things like brick buildings, terracotta rooftops or weathered doors, where a softened red feels more believable and integrated.
3. Choose your red deliberately​
   Not all reds communicate the same feeling. A warm red works well for café interiors, flowers or evening light, while a cooler red can heighten tension in architectural details or signage in an urban scene.
4. Introduce red early in the process​
   Placing red early helps establish energy and movement. This works especially well in landscapes or city scenes, where an early red accent, like a distant jacket, umbrella or taillight, can help guide later color decisions.
5. Use red to balance green​
   Red and green naturally energize each other. A touch of red berries in foliage, a warm underpainting beneath green fields or a small red accent near greenery can prevent large green areas from feeling flat.

"The Monet Family in Their Garden at Argenteuil" by Edouard Manet

"The Red Boats at Argenteuil" by Claude Monet

"The Dance of Life" by Edvard Munch

Living in the Middle

Over the past year+, I’ve been building two very different things at the same time.

​Artful Traveler lives firmly in the creative world: painting, travel, exploration. Civic Acumen is grounded in strategy and systems, helping people navigate complex public sector environments. They're not at all related. But they both inspire me.

What surprised me is what came from holding both at once: I felt balanced. Not because I was trying to be. I didn’t even know I wasn't balanced. I was simply following what held my interest and felt worth spending time on.

The thing is, I’ve never fit neatly into a single lane. I think analytically and creatively. I enjoy people and I need a lot of quiet. Sometimes both on the same day. I never questioned it. It was just how I was wired.

What I see more clearly now is that balance doesn’t come from choosing a side. It comes from letting all of it in.

When I’m painting, ideas from other parts of my life continue to turn quietly in the background. When I’m thinking strategically, creative ideas surface just as naturally. One leads, the other follows, and neither disappears.

The same is true with people and solitude. Some days connection fuels me. Other days I need to step back and recharge. That’s not something to fix. It simply is.

Oddly enough, all of this became clearer after I retired. With more space, I wasn’t optimizing or searching for answers. I was just paying attention.

What I’ve learned is this: balance isn’t about narrowing your life until it fits a single lane. It’s about giving yourself the latitude to let all the parts work together.

And when that happens, it feels extraordinarily energizing.

Don't Miss Art Exhibitions in February

Monuments Museum of Contemporary Art’s Geffen Contemporary, Los Angeles “Monuments” is a timely, thought-provoking exhibition that brings together decommissioned public monuments, many Confederate, with contemporary artworks that respond to, reinterpret or critique them. The show encourages reflection on how these contested symbols of history and memory are understood today and how art can reshape our view of the past. Runs thru May 3, 2026.

Vis-a-Vis Cloud Tree Studios & Gallery, Austin, Texas “Vis-à-Vis” is a debut solo presentation by painter Angélique Ferrão. The show features large-scale paintings of Black male subjects rooted in contemporary figurative abstraction, inviting viewers to engage with presence and relational perception rather than fixed narrative. Ferrão’s work foregrounds form and perception, encouraging close looking and reflection on visibility, presence and authorship in portraiture. Through February 28, 2026

Grandma Moses: A Good Day’s Work Smithsonian American Art Museum “Grandma Moses: A Good Day’s Work” reexamines the life and legacy of Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses, the self-taught artist who began painting in her late 70s and became an enduring figure in American art. The exhibition highlights how Moses’ vivid recollections of rural life reflect creativity, labor and memory woven into everyday moments. Named after her own phrase about life and work, the show offers both familiar favorites and deeper insight into her artistic evolution and influence on American visual culture. Through July 12, 2026

Noah Davis Philadelphia Art Museum The Noah Davis exhibition brings together more than 60 works spanning painting, sculpture and works on paper in a landmark survey of his brief but influential career. The exhibition, which marks the final stop of its international tour, highlights Davis’ singular vision in capturing everyday Black life with emotional depth and formal daring, linking personal and collective narratives in ways that resonate with our times. His work blends figuration and abstraction with rich, evocative scenes that invite close looking and reflection on identity and presence. Through April 26, 2026

Studio Habits: Getting Started Is the Hardest Part

There is a particular resistance that shows up right before we step into the studio. The canvas is blank and suddenly everything else feels urgent. This is not a lack of discipline or talent. It is simply the friction of starting. Creativity rarely arrives fully formed and enthusiastic. The goal is not to feel ready; the goal is to begin anyway.

One of the most effective ways to lower that resistance is through studio rituals. Small, repeatable sensory cues signal to your brain that it is time to make art. Think of it as gently Pavlov-ing yourself. The same piece of music playing each time you paint. A favorite candle or incense lit only in the studio. Over time, these cues become shortcuts. They help bypass overthinking and ease you into motion.

Warm ups matter more than we often give them credit for. A five minute goal can be enough to get the brush moving and quiet the mental noise. Loose strokes on scratch paper, old envelopes or even newspaper work beautifully. Gesso on a stack of panels or varnish on some finished pieces also works wonders. The brush just needs to get moving. Its only job is to get you physically painting, which is often all the mind needs to follow along.

February's Best Destinations

Reykjavik, Iceland Chasing Winter Light Long nights and crisp winter air create prime conditions for Northern Lights viewing in Reykjavik. The city offers a rare balance of wild and cozy, where aurora chasing can be followed by geothermal pools, candlelit cafés and striking winter light. For artists and travelers alike, February reveals Reykjavík at its most atmospheric and quietly magical.

Orlando, Florida A Calmer Kind of Magic Orlando is especially appealing in February, when mild temperatures and lower humidity make long days outdoors comfortable and unhurried. With fewer crowds than peak spring break, the city feels more relaxed, whether you are wandering theme parks, enjoying outdoor dining or exploring gardens and lakes.

Venice, Italy Masks and Mysteries Venice in February feels quietly theatrical, as Carnival brings ornate masks and centuries-old traditions while winter mist softens the canals and stone facades. With fewer crowds and cooler air, the city slows just enough to feel intimate and cinematic. It is a month where Venice leans fully into mystery, romance and atmosphere.

Mesa, Arizona Sun, Art and Baseball Days are warm but not scorching and the desert invites long walks and open-air exploration. Fans also gather at Sloan Park to watch the Chicago Cubs train under blue skies and with relaxed crowds. Between desert trails, outdoor art walks and afternoon baseball, February in Mesa strikes an easy, sunlit balance of culture and play.

​ A Bittersweet Farewell: Kind of Like Sending Your Child Out Into the World (But Not)

Over the past year, one of the unexpected parts of studio life has been how it feels to send an original painting off to its new home. There is always a moment of pause before it leaves, a mix of pride and something a little bittersweet, knowing it will no longer live on my walls or in my studio. Artwork from Kelly Scott Fine Art now lives in twelve states, which still astonishes me when I stop and think about it. Each one ends up in a new space, on a new wall, with a new family and a new chapter to its story.

That sense of connection is also what draws me to commissioned pieces. Whether it is a place, a feeling or a memory someone wants to hold onto, I enjoy the conversations and stories that shape them and the photos that are shared. While much of what I paint begins as my own exploration and curiosity, some work grows out of these stories; I appreciate and am humbled by that trust and confidence. And am eternally grateful.

If you are interested in discussing a custom commission, send an email to commissions@kellyscott.art .

Small Steps. Big Discoveries.

#PaintThePostcard

If you missed it last month or are just discovering it now, Paint the Postcard is designed to be joined at any time. It is an ongoing practice built around small, postcard-sized paintings inspired by destinations near and far, with no pressure to keep up or start at a specific point. The format is intentionally simple, making it easier to show up consistently and enjoy the rhythm of finishing one small piece at a time.

When you sign up, you will receive a free reference image each week and can paint along in any medium you choose. Think of it as a quiet, flexible invitation to keep creating, wherever you are in your routine.

The Artful Traveler doors are currently closed for new travelers, but the journey is far from over. If you would like to be first in line when they open again, sign up to receive an early heads up and a personal invitation to join us for the next destination, new projects and plenty of creative exploration.

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