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Journaling Through Grief: Healing After Pet Loss Through Art Grief is an unavoidable part of life. We all experience it in different ways, and no amount of preparation can truly soften the pain. It can feel overwhelming, unpredictable, and deeply personal. As an artist, I’ve always turned to creativity to process emotions—but nothing prepared me for the loss of my best friend, my beloved dog Chalupa. Remembering Chalupa, My Constant Companion Chalupa wasn’t just a pet—she was my partner through life’s toughest moments. She stood by me while I adjusted to being an empty nester and comforted me through the loss of my father. She joined me on every adventure, from hiking trails and barking at the unknown to stretching beside me during morning yoga. She guarded the rope while we went rock climbing, explored beaches, mountains, and desert trails in Utah, perched high in Colorado, wandered through Marfa, and even sat as my best “art critic” in the studio. Her presence was woven into my daily rhythm, both in life and in art. The Heartbreak of Pet Loss In her final years, Chalupa’s health began to decline. We went to countless vets and specialists, tried every treatment we could, but no one could ever explain the cause of her recurring illnesses. Watching her body grow weaker was incredibly hard. She could no longer climb the stairs to my art studio, and even her usual excitement for walks slowly faded. I needed to find new ways for us to stay connected and let her still experience the world she loved. I bought a kayak. Out on the river, she would sit close beside me, alert to every movement in the water, her ears catching the breeze. For a little while, she could still explore and be part of an adventure. Those quiet moments on the water became some of our last shared joys—simple, real, and alive. Then, suddenly, she was gone. Chalupa passed at home, with me right there by her side. I thought I was prepared, but I wasn’t. The house felt unbearably quiet, and the studio that had once held her steady presence suddenly felt empty. That emptiness drew me back to my art. I started painting and sketching Chalupa from our time together—on the river, hiking, or resting in the studio. Each stroke became a way to process the loss and hold onto the life we shared. My art became more than a creative outlet; it became a way to navigate grief and keep her memory present in my life. Turning Grief Into Art (Journaling Through Grief) As an artist, my canvas has always been a reflection of my inner world. To cope with this loss, I began painting and sketching Chalupa from our adventures together. Each brushstroke became a way to hold on to her memory while releasing the heaviness in my heart. This practice—what I call “Journaling Through Grief” —transformed my mourning into a creative process. Instead of focusing on her absence, I found myself celebrating the joy, loyalty, and love she brought into my life. Creative Healing and Expression Grief cannot be rushed, but it can be expressed. Through art, I discovered a way to navigate pain and begin healing. My paintings of Chalupa are more than images; they are love letters, memory keepers, and reminders that even in loss, beauty can emerge. If you are experiencing grief, I encourage you to find your own outlet. Whether through journaling, painting, music, or another creative practice, give yourself permission to process your emotions in a way that feels true to you. Healing takes time, but creativity allows us to carry our memories forward. Through expression, we begin to find light in the darkness. Sophia is a contemporary artist and art educator creating vibrant, expressive work that blends abstraction and figurative elements to tell emotionally rich stories. Her art is rooted in movement, energy, and connection, inviting viewers to experience color and form in a deeply personal way. Read more about Sophia here.

Hi friends, I’m Sophia Buddenhagen, a Houston-based artist with a love for bold colors, layered textures, and art that feels alive with motion. My work is inspired by a life filled with adventure, surfing, skating, climbing, traveling and by the incredible cultures and landscapes I’ve been lucky enough to experience. I grew up in a Greek-American family and have lived in places like Egypt, West Africa, Europe, and the West Indies. Each of these places has left its mark on me, shaping the way I see the world and the way I create. When I paint, I pull from those memories and feelings, the movement of the ocean, the vibrancy of street markets, the rhythm of skate wheels on concrete, and translate them into vibrant, abstract works. Art for me isn’t just about decoration. It’s about energy, emotion, and connection. I want my paintings and prints to brighten your space, inspire your creativity, and bring joy into your everyday life. Over the years, my art has taken me on unexpected journeys, from being featured in major retailers like IKEA, Ashley Furniture, At Home, Living Spaces, and I.O. Metro, to working directly with at-risk teens and using creativity as a way to empower and heal. Most recently, I was featured on Houston Life TV in partnership with Society6, which was such an exciting moment. This blog will be a place where I share more of that journey with you: Stories behind my paintings Creative inspiration from surfing, skating, and nature Insights from my travels and global influences Updates on new originals , prints, and commissions Occasional peeks into my studio life (and the messy, colorful process that goes into each piece!) I’m so glad you’re here. Whether you’re a fellow artist, an art lover, or someone looking for a splash of color to brighten your home, I hope you’ll find something that speaks to you. Thank you for being part of this journey, let’s see where the waves and brushstrokes take us. With gratitude and color, Sophia Sophia is a contemporary artist and art educator creating vibrant, expressive work that blends abstraction and figurative elements to tell emotionally rich stories. Her art is rooted in movement, energy, and connection, inviting viewers to experience color and form in a deeply personal way. Read more about Sophia here.

CONTOUR DRAWING Objective: You will be able to draw a picture without looking at the paper. You will look at the object while you are drawing it. Materials Paper, Pencil, objects  Quick Practice to get the hang on contour drawing! 1. Fold paper into fours 2. In the first box draw a shoe. Any shoe that comes to mind. 3. In the second box look at the shoe you are wearing, look at all the details, then put it away and draw from memory. 4. In the third box you can take off your shoe and put it on the table and draw what you see. 5. Watch this video on contour drawing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu9sUWLfGng 6. In the final box you will use the contour drawing method and draw your shoe. This time just look at the shoe and use your hand and eye coordination to draw what your are actually seeing not what you think you see. 7. Now look at your progress ! If you didn't improve you are probably still drawing from your mind and not what you see. Another way to help you draw what you see is to practice Blind Contour Drawing. Once you are comfortable with really looking at what you see and feel you really have the hang of contour drawing it is time to move onto the Project! Mixed Media Contour Project! Supplies Drawing paper, pencil, blue ballpoint pen, watercolor paint Objective Draw what you see from life. Create a pattern and learn to mix and blend watercolors. 1. Do some practice contour drawings of your hand, once you get the swing of it try holding an object or add in your jewelry. 2. Once you get the comfortable do a large contour drawing on a sheet of white paper. Be sure to fill up the space and draw big! 3. When you are done be sure to trace over your lines with blue ball point pen. Make some lines thicker and leave some thin. This will show emphasis and make your drawing more interesting. Next step come up with a simple pattern for your background. Draw it in lightly with a pencil. Now the fun part! Do some water color pattern research, and maybe look up some water technique videos to get you acquainted with water color if you have never used them before. For the final piece we paint the background in watercolor then add a quote anywhere on the page! Be sure to put it in an interesting spot! Sophia is a contemporary artist and art educator creating vibrant, expressive work that blends abstraction and figurative elements to tell emotionally rich stories. Her art is rooted in movement, energy, and connection, inviting viewers to experience color and form in a deeply personal way. Read more about Sophia here.

Do you know people that copy the work of other artists and call it their own? Unfortunately the answer is most likely a big yes. It is even worse when your own work has been plagiarized! In the classroom students like to copy clip art, characters, and various images. Sometimes they just think teachers are being mean by not letting them copy published works. It's good to get them in the mind set of being original and how to do research for art projects or just drawing from life. I will be writing another blog on Art Research and how to come up with original ideas. I created this Poster for classroom use only and it is not for sale. I have to say it has caught my students attention. I see them looking at and actually reading it. I used Craig Horky's awesome drawing with the two headed cat and yes I got his permission to use it for my poster. I challenge you to come up with your own anti plagiarist poster and make sure if you use anyone's art on it be sure to always give them credit on the actual poster. If you create a poster and would like to send it in, I would love to add it to this blog with a link to your page. I would also like to have a visual library for teachers to show their students examples of plagiarism in art with side by side visual examples. Email me and to include artists names and/or links to their work and add plagiarism into the title! Thank you so much! EXAMPLES OF PLAGIARISM Top: Copy Bottom: Original My sister Monica saw this drawing (top) on a wall in a Houston restaurant. She recognized it and realized it was a copy of her friend Estibaliz's work in Spain! Small world right! You can see more of Estibaliz Hernandez de Miguel's work here. #sharingiscaring #dontplagiarise #arteducation #highschoolart Sophia is a contemporary artist and art educator creating vibrant, expressive work that blends abstraction and figurative elements to tell emotionally rich stories. Her art is rooted in movement, energy, and connection, inviting viewers to experience color and form in a deeply personal way. Read more about Sophia here.

Women Making Waves: Art, Surf, and Sisterhood A few weekends ago, I was invited to lead a creative workshop at the Women Making Waves Retreat , founded by the remarkable Nicole Miller Art . It was three full days of art, surf, sunshine, and uplifting energy. Sharing my love for painting in a space filled with creative, kind, and talented women was truly inspiring. Each participant brought her own style and story, every surfboard artist adding a unique kind of beauty to the weekend. For my workshop, we painted surfboard fins and transformed them into small works of art. Brushes moved, colors blended, and before long the space was alive with laughter, conversation, and creativity. Somewhere between the paint and the coastal breeze, strangers became friends. It is remarkable how naturally that happens when you combine art, good company, and salt air after a great dinner. Huge shoutout to Tomorrow’s Artist , Zibra Paintbrushes , and Ho Stevie  for donating supplies, you guys helped make the weekend so colorful in every sense. Left to right Jenny Krieger,   Sophia Buddenhagen , Luz Helena , Nicole Miller ,  Jess Oatman , Maggie Sudek ,  Alex Mason  & Alex Gray The next morning, we joined Southern Spears Surf Shop  at the beach, who generously provided longboards for everyone. Some of the women were surfing for the first time and totally stoked to catch thier first wave in Texas. The beach was filled with cheers, laughter, and high fives. When we were not catching waves, we collaborated on a surfboard together having fun and doodling with paint. There was more to the weekend than painting and surfing. There were so many great moments from dinner at Sugar and Rye , to live painting at the Texas Surf Museum , to a Q&A with Maria Brophy along with tons of helpful insight on the business side of our art careers, and improve our online presence. Every bit of it reflected the heart Nicole poured into this retreat. It was something special. By the end of the Women Making Waves Retreat , we all left with more than painted fins, surfboards and sandy hair. We carried home new friendships, renewed inspiration, and a deeper connection to creativity, community, and the Gulf Coast. Be sure to check out these lovely ladies work. Alex Mason https://artbyalexmason.com/ Alex Mason is a contemporary artist whose textured, vibrant paintings burst with bright florals and bold patterns, celebrating color, joy, and creative energy. Alexx Gra y https://alexxgrayart.com/pages/custom-boards Alexx Gray is a Florida-based artist known for her vibrant surfboard art, detailed mandalas, and ocean-inspired designs. Jess Oatman https://jessoatmanart.com/ Jess Oatman is an artist whose work captures the beauty and rhythm of nature, blending inspiration from mountains, waves, and desert landscapes. Jenny Krieger Jenny Krieger transforms worn-out surfboards into vibrant, one-of-a-kind art pieces that bring coastal charm to any space. Luz Helena https://www.imageryartworks.com/ Luz Helena Thompson is a Colombian-born Marine Corps veteran, expressive arts educator and mosaic muralist based on the Southern California coast whose work fuses healing, art and service through community engagement and creative transformation. Maggie Sudek Maggie Sudek is a Wilmington-based artist and muralist who brings color and creativity to every wall and canvas she touches. Nicole Miller https://www.artbynicolemiller.com/ Nicole Miller is a coastal-inspired artist and muralist whose love for the ocean shapes her vibrant, expressive works, blending her background in art education with a passion for creativity and connection. Sophia Buddenhagen https://www.sobudd.com/ Sophia Buddenhagen creates vibrant, expressive art infused with coastal energy, skate culture edge, and desert warmth, where color, motion, and memory collide in every piece. Left to right: Alex Mason , Luz Helena , Sophia Buddenhagen , Jess Oatman , Alex Gra y, Maggie Sudek , Nicole Miller Jenny Krieger