About

Erika Hastings

 “My paintings are visual reminders of the life I want to live.”

I am an artist – painting and photography are my passions and I love all the creative bits of life. I also homeschool my three young children.

Why do you homeschool your children?

We tried the school route for a few years. It didn’t work for my daughter and so I looked into other options. I spent a year intensely researching homeschooling, became thoroughly convinced by it and tried it out. So far so good.

What kind of camera do you use?

I use a Canon Rebel XSI with a Sigma 18-50mm macro lens and a 100mm macro lens. I have an unhealthy love obsession with bokeh - the Japanese word for “blur” but which often refers to the balls of light that come from slightly unfocusing your lens. I’m also in love with macro - close up – photos and try to go at least once a week for a photo walk in nature.

How do you make your paintings?

A picture will pop into my mind and then I will spend a lot of time sketching it and fleshing it out. I then trace the image onto high quality watercolor paper, outline it with waterproof ink and then paint it with watercolor paint.

Why do you paint your family so often?

Every painting I make tells a story. I often paint about my life, and since my life now revolves around three busy children, that is what I paint about. Parenting is the hardest thing I have ever done and I often use my paintings as a way of working through the never-ending issues that parenting brings up for me.

I am a strong visual learner. My paintings are visual reminders of the life I want to live. I hang them up above my computer in order to remind myself often.

What is art as prayer?

I think of my paintings as visual affirmations, prayers, mantras and reminders – like a post-it hanging on the wall. For me, creating art is an embodied, active prayer. It is not a prayer because of a particular imagery or symbolism, but rather a spiritual awareness moves me into the flow of life where hours feel like minutes, where there is a blur between my art and myself – as if the paintbrush moves itself, and where my artist studio becomes its own temple. Read more here.

How do you do art with young children around? 

Strategy 1: DOWNSIZE. 

With only bite-size moments to create art, I have moved away from large acrylic paintings and now work on smaller watercolor paintings, usually 9″ x 12″.  It gives me a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction to be able to complete a painting in a shorter time frame with this medium.

Strategy 2: QUIET TIME and SATURDAY MORNING OFF

Every afternoon we have a scheduled “Quiet Time” where all the kids play quietly on their own, read books, build Lego, rest, do art or other creative activities on their own. It is a much-needed down time and great art always comes out of that time – theirs and mine.

My husband and I also trade mornings off on the weekend. I usually go for photo walks or do painting during that time.

Strategy 3: PATIENCE and PERSPECTIVE

I know that one day, when my children get older, we will all be able to sit down and do our creative works together.

Where did you study art?

I studied fine art in Canada, graduating from the University of Victoria with a B.F.A. and a diploma from the Instituto Allende in Mexico. I received a B.Ed. from the University of British Columbia and worked as a high school art teacher in Canada, Mexico, Honduras and Brazil. My painting style emerged from my time spent around the brilliant colors in Latin America.

I then completed my master’s degree in art education from the University of British Columbia where I researched and wrote a thesis entitled, “Creating Art as an Act of Prayer.” This research awakened my ability to use art as a means for self-transformation. You can read a little about that here.

What is your style of parenting? 

My parenting inspiration primarily comes from two sources: the Baha’i Writings  and attachment parenting, as described by Gordon Neufeld. I highly recommend all of his parenting video courses and his bestseller book, Hold Onto Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers.

Do you sell your art work? 

Yes! You can buy prints, posters, greeting cards, t-shirts or hoodies at my online store on Red Bubble. http://www.redbubble.com/people/erikahastings

I am not currently selling originals or doing commission work.

Can I use your art work on my blog/poster/school project/pamphlet/etc.?

Yes! You are most welcome to use my art work for non-commercial purposes (you are not making money from it). Just credit my name, Erika Hastings, with a link to my blog, www.mudspice.com, and send me a quick email to let me know: erikahastings@gmail.com.

If you are business and would like to use my art work for commercial purposes email me at erikahastings@gmail.com for pricing.