Eileen Doll Studio

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It’s time for a New Year, watercolor palette refresh! This 9x12 in. tin holds a whopping 207 half pans! I’m hoping that gathering my collection in one place will help me discover some new favorites! The best part, I have room to grow!

Do you prefer a minimal palette or all the colors under the sun?

Thank you! One of my favorite mushrooms to paint - the yellow Amanitas are local to me, but the red ones are so striking! 🍄

I’m a night owl and often paint when my house is dark and quiet. Sometimes, I lose track of time and I’m greeted by the first light stirring on the horizon.

In “Wee Hours,” I tried to capture that magical in-between moment when the winter night’s hush slowly brightens with the gentle glow of dawn.

Reconnecting with my art practice feels a bit like stepping into fresh snowfall—both invigorating and unsteady. My palette is definitely reflecting my cold New England surroundings.

Which colors do you find yourself reaching for most during the winter season? ❄️❄️❄️

Felt good to pick up my brushes again and see where these waves would take me. This tiny spontaneous seascape was the perfect New Year warm-up, but I always find myself a little tentative after a break.

How do you kickstart your creativity after time away?

2024 has been a year of growth.

Thank you to everyone who’s followed along and supported my creative journey. In 2025, one of my goals is to work in larger formats and maybe launch a collection.

What’s a goal you’re most excited to pursue in 2025? Drop a comment and we can cheer each other on!

Happy Solstice! Wishing everyone comfort in the darkness and hope for brighter days ahead. ❤️

“This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight, the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go of and becomes the future; the place of caught breath.” – Margaret Atwood

Day 12 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 Challenge! Prompt:“Candlelight.”

In my painting “Darkest Stretch” a candle reveals amanita mushrooms. These red and white fungi have long been woven into the lore of Christmas, inspiring tales of Santa’s red suit and the hallucinogenic origin of flying reindeer.

Day 11 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 Challenge. Prompt: “Ivy.”

In “Mari Lwyd,” I’ve painted a nod to the Welsh wassailing tradition—a spectral horse figure adorned for the season in Ivy, singing its way through the dark winter nights.

Day 10 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 Challenge. Prompt: “Oranges.”

“Simmer Pot,” captures the warmth of citrus, cranberries, and spices slowly releasing their magic into the air. There’s something about that gentle aroma drifting through the house—it feels like an invitation to pause, savor the season.

Day 9 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 Challenge: “Advent.”

In “Arrival,” a Luna moth hovers above advent candles, mirroring how we circle around small comforts in these darkest days. As the solstice nears, we’re all waiting for that gentle shift—when the world will tilt back toward warmth and light.

Day 8 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 Challenge: “Owl.”

In “Old Ways,” I’ve captured a snowy owl carrying an offering of mistletoe through a winter’s night. This piece feels like a gentle whisper from the past, a reminder that small, time-honored traditions can still bring comfort in a changing world.

Day 7 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 Challenge, the prompt is “Feast.”

My piece, “Repast,” a snowy fir tree adorned with treats for wildlife. I wanted to capture the idea that even in the bitter cold small acts of kindness can have a profound impact, especially when the world feels harsh.🎄❤️

Day 6 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 Challenge, the prompt is “Letter.”

Here’s my piece, “Correspondence.”

Who might this letter be intended for? A distant friend who needs a reminder of home? Or perhaps a plea for aid during troubling times.

Follow for more glimpses of distant places and stories. 🪶

Standing stones under the northern lights

Day 5 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 Challenge, and today’s prompt is “Silent Night.”

Here is my painting, “Standing Watch.”

There’s something haunting about ancient standing stones. Who placed them there, and why? They feel like silent guardians of a story we may never fully understand.

Here’s Day 4 of the #12daywinterdraw24 Challenge, the prompt is “Chocolate.” 🍫

This cozy scene was inspired by Jólabókaflóð, the Icelandic tradition of the Christmas Book Flood. 📚✨ On Christmas Eve, our family snuggles up with new books and chocolate.

Day 3 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 Challenge, and today’s prompt was “Yule.” 🎄

I decided to delve into Icelandic folklore and paint Jólakötturinn, the giant Yule Cat who prowls the countryside during Christmas, searching for those not wearing their new clothes. 🐱🧣🧦

Day 2 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 challenge: ‘Fox.’

Here’s ‘Fox Moon,’ inspired by the quiet allure of a full moon on a snowy night and the mysterious lives of nocturnal creatures like foxes.

Follow me to see what’s next, and tell me what you think I should paint for tomorrow’s prompt “Yule”

Day 1 of the #12DayWinterDraw24 challenge: ‘King.’

For this prompt, I envisioned ‘The Winter King’—a quiet, powerful figure reigning over the frost and snow. Painting this was such a fun way to kick off the challenge, and I’m so excited for what the next 11 days will bring. #12daywinterdraw24 ❄️👑

Full length view of a handmade broom

Up close stitching detail of a homemade broom

Close-up view of broomcorn stalk weaving in a homemade broom

Close up of the natural bark handle of a homemade broom

From start to finish, my first handmade broom! 🧹🍂 Thanks to a wonderful workshop from @hearthcraftbrooms, I learned this beautiful craft step by step. It’s more than just a broom—it’s a work of art, made by hand and ready for sweeping the cobwebs away. 🕸️🌬️

My latest: ‘Night Country’
6”x8” watercolor on paper

Watercolor painting of a fox standing on a hollow log in a snowy nighttime landscape.

‘Night Country’ This piece that reflects the quiet struggle of winter. As I painted, I thought about what it must take to survive out there in the stillness and the cold—always alert, always adapting.

If you’re drawn to art that reflects nature’s quiet mystery, follow along!

#art

New to me medium, Golden acrylic on wood.

Watercolor portrait, “August” of a red-haired woman, with a paint brush and three pans of watercolor paint.

Introducing my newesr watercolor painting "August" ✨

Painted with just three colors, Nickel Azo Yellow, Quinacridone Magenta and Ultramarine Blue, it glows with late summer warmth. I want to hold on to the fleeting beauty of this season, where time slows down. ✨❤️

Painting of a red-haired woman’s floating in water surrounded by water plants.

August always draws me to magic and mystery swirling just beneath the ponds and pools that dot southern NH. (The only month they approach reasonable swimming temps here.) I spent the first nights of August summer painting one of my favorite tragic characters for whom water is ultimately her escape.