Hello my artist family!

Today I’m so excited to introduce you to one of our incredibly talented artists, Lynda Sappington from Lebanon, Ohio.

Every once in a while, I meet an artist whose creative journey takes a path I never see coming, and Lynda is one of those people. While many artists begin with painting, Lynda spent 26 years building a successful career as a self-taught sculptor, specializing in bronze horses. Her work has become trophies for horse shows, race tracks across the United States and Canada, and even some of the most prestigious equestrian events in the country. In fact, two of her sculptures serve as trophies for the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida. How amazing is that?

Then came Covid—and like so many artists, Lynda found herself exploring something new.

Painting wasn’t an easy transition. As she puts it, drawing and painting were HARD for her three-dimensional brain. But true artists have a way of finding creative solutions. She began working with reliefs and jewelry, gradually learning how to compress space into almost two dimensions. When she discovered DabblePaints™ and our artist community, she thought it looked like fun and decided to jump in.

And jump in she did.

Lynda stopped counting paintings somewhere around sixty, and she’s long since surpassed one hundred pieces. These days she incorporates a variety of techniques into her work, often including a bit of dabbling along the way. Best of all? People love her paintings enough to buy them. I absolutely love hearing stories like that because they remind us that growth happens one painting at a time.

What inspires Lynda most?

When I asked what fuels her creativity, her answer was beautifully simple: color, shape, and movement.

A photograph, a passing moment, or something that catches her eye can spark an idea worth painting. What really stood out to me was how she describes her artistic goal. When people look at her sculptures, they often say the horses seem ready to trot right off the stand. That same pursuit of life and movement carries into her paintings.

Lynda wants viewers to wish they could smell the flowers, touch the cat, or step right into the scene.

And honestly, that's the kind of magic we all hope to create.

Here’s the painting Lynda chose to share with us:

In Honor of Ukraine

This powerful piece was inspired by the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Lynda painted it using the colors of the Ukrainian flag—blue skies above golden sunflowers, their national flower, alongside a blue and yellow barn. Whenever the painting sells, she plans to donate a portion, or possibly all, of the proceeds to a Ukrainian charity.

What I love most is that this painting combines beauty with purpose. The bright colors draw you in, but the heart behind it is what stays with you. And can we talk about those sunflowers for a second? They practically look like they're soaking up sunshine right off the canvas.

What Lynda loves about DabblePaints™

Lynda told me she loves the consistency, buttery feel, and dependable colors of DabblePaints™.

She shared that she can thin them down for glazes, build them up with gloss gel or modeling paste for texture, and they perform beautifully every time. She especially loves being able to return usable paint to the jars instead of letting it go to waste.

When she called them "well-behaved," I had to laugh because honestly, that's one of my favorite compliments ever. If only laundry, pets, and paintbrushes were all that cooperative!

What she enjoys most about painting

For Lynda, painting is all about the process.

While she enjoys selling her work, it's the act of creating that brings her the most joy. You can feel that mindset throughout her story. She isn't chasing perfection—she's embracing exploration, learning, and growth.

And after spending decades creating sculptures, I think it's pretty inspiring to see someone continue challenging themselves and learning entirely new artistic skills. That kind of curiosity keeps us young as artists.

Advice for Beginning Painters

When I asked Lynda what advice she'd give someone just starting out, she shared something I think every artist needs to hear:

"Don't sweat the small stuff. Paint with joy and abandon. Love the process. Your style will emerge on its own."

I absolutely love that.

So many of us worry about finding our style, getting better faster, or creating the perfect painting. But Lynda reminds us that style isn't something we force—it's something that naturally develops as we keep showing up and creating.

She also encourages artists to think professionally if they plan to sell their work. Treating your art like a business can open doors and create opportunities you might never have considered.

Lynda, thank you for sharing your incredible journey with us. From award-winning bronze sculptures to vibrant, heartfelt paintings, your story is a beautiful reminder that it's never too late to learn something new, embrace a challenge, and keep growing as an artist.

You inspire all of us with your creativity, generosity, and willingness to keep exploring. We're so grateful you're part of our artist family.

Keep creating, keep shining, and keep bringing more beauty into the world. 

XO,
Jen