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Hello

My name is Kendra Petersen

I'm an award winning, self-taught artist and creative explorer. I create and experiment in many different mediums and styles; including, but not limited to, painting, drawing, graphic design, digital illustrations, and mixed media. For me, art is a passion and a journey. I can't wait to share it with you!

About Me

Feature with Bold Journey 2025

Hi friends! I’m super excited to cohost another year of Discover Your Book Cover!! You’re all invited to draw, paint, collage, photograph, etc. along!! Will you join us?
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In April, we are hosting a DiscoverYourBookCover Mix & Match Promptlist!
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Pick one prompt from each category: One Story Starter, with One Genre, with One Plot Twist. Then create your own book cover! If you want, add a title and author name to complete the look! You can draw weekly, or do them all if you’re feeling super inspired! 🤩 Simple and silly or dramatic and detailed… get creative! The covers can be entirely imaginative or a redesign of a book you love (just be sure to credit it)!
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How to Join:
-Save this post for reference.
-April 1-30 create an original book cover art based on the prompts in any medium (no AI art)!
-Use our hashtags #dybc25 and #discoveryourbookcover25
-Tag all hosts in your caption and image, so we can see the beautiful covers.
-Include any of our promptlists as your 2nd slide.
-Join in and have fun!!
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Our Horst:
@artsy_megkey
@raven_avana
@fadartworkpage
@kncp_imagine.meraki (me)
@minagalan.draws

#aprilartchallenge #aprilartchallenge2025 #drawingchallenges #bookcoverchallenge #bookcoverdrawingchallenge #portfoliochallenge

The Great Sand Dunes National Park

I have lived my whole life in Colorado and didn't even know this place existed until a few years ago. It's located in the San Luis Valley and is the home to the largest sand dunes in North America. This one is definitely on my list to visit with my family. Sand sledding and stargazing...yes please.

This reference image was found on Unsplash. The teabag is about 1.5in x 2 in.

This teabag painting is the last of the Colorado National Park series. I'm tempted to paint them on leaves too, but don't want to get too stuck on one thing. Thoughts?
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#teabagpainting #teabagart #teabaglandscape #landscapepainting #landscapeart #teabagartist #miniartwork #minipainting #miniaturepainting #miniatureartist #miniaturelandscape #minilandscape #greatsanddunes #nationalparks #Nationalparkart #mountainscape #mountainpainting #Coloradoartist #coloradolandscape #Coloradoart #Coloradopainting

Mesa Verde National Park.
Located in southwestern Colorado. This is a historical site of the Publo people where they built homes and communities in the cliffs.

This was the trickiest one to paint because of the building details.

I'm hoping to get here and see this amazing place in person. My girls learn about this place in school and have been wanting to visit for a while now. Colorado is bigger than people think, and getting to some of these places is not easy. After painting these parks, my desire to visit has just grown.
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#Colorado #Coloradoart #coloradoartist #Coloradopainting #nationalparks #Nationalparkart #teabagpainting #teabagart #teabaglandscape #landscapepainting #landscapeart #teabagartist #miniartwork #minipainting #miniaturepainting #miniatureartist #miniaturelandscape #celestialseasonings #tinyart #mesaverdenationalpark #mesaverde

Throwback Thursday with some art inspired by Persephone, the goddess of spring.

It's the spring equinox today. This winter has been so rough emotionally I'm actually looking at today as the beginning of the new year. Time for rebirth and sunshine.

Persephone fascinates me. She is both the goddess of the Underworld but also the goddess of Spring. I love her portrayal in the musical Hadestown....which I still haven't seen. The black and white piece was inspired by the line " a lady stepping off a train with her suitcase full of Summertime."

The watercolor painting was done in the style of a graphic novel cover for a book cover challenge....that I am now a co-host of.

Happy Spring everyone! We need some joy.
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#happyspring #springequinox #Persephone #Hadestown #equinox #throwbackthursday #tbtart #Springtime #springart #springvibes

Rocky Mountain National Park. This is what people think of when they hear "Colorado." And there is a reason. Beautiful mountains, snow, peace. I love it here.

This is the only national park in Colorado that I have been to. This is not my picture, though (thanks Unsplash). I really wanted a true winter snow scene, and I just don't have that in my collection of Estes Park photos.

Fun fact: the tea bag this is painted on is from the Colorado tea company, Celestial Seasonings! If you are ever in Boulder, you should definitely check out a tour.
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#rockymountainnationalpark #rockymountains #mountainscape #teabagpainting #teabagart #teabaglandscape #landscapepainting #landscapeart #teabagartist #miniartwork #minipainting #miniaturepainting #miniatureartist #miniaturelandscape #celestialseasonings #Coloradoart #coloradoartist #coloradolandscape #Estespark

Ta da! The first miniature painting in a series made specifically to capture Colorado's National Parks....part of a bigger project I'm calling "A Sip of Colorado." They are miniature Colorado landscapes painted on tea bags. This one measures about 1.5×2.5 in.

This one is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Sadly, I have yet to see this amazing park in person, but the gorgeous reference image was taken by @bence_p .Thank you for letting me paint this!

The National Parks in Colorado have been hit very hard by the political mess that is happening right now. I figured a little love and awareness would be nice. Painting this series has really given me the travel bug. I've decided I need to see these places in person!

Stay tuned for more.
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#teabagpainting #miniaturepainting #miniatureart #minilandscape #minipainting #coloradoart #Coloradoartist #coloradolandscape #teabagart #teabagartist #miniartwork #blackcanyon #Gunnison #Colorado

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

I pulled out my old sketchbook and found a penciled doodle from who knows when... I decided it was the perfect time to ink and color it.

We'll also call it the Inktober52 Prompt of "Stunt." That silly sheep is really up to some mischief.
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#Inktober52 #Inktober52stunt #stpatricksday #sillysheep #markerart #inkartwork #inkdoodle #doodleart #doodlesofinstagram #potofgold #leprechaun

Newest leaf creation! This is a waterfall in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It's truly a gorgeous and peaceful place.

Painted on a small amur maple leaf. It's only about 4in tall and 3in where the leaf spreads.

This was my "just jump back in" project. I've been so out of art mode I was actually scared to paint. It's weird how that happens. I'm feeling so much better now, though.
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#leafpainting #paintedleaf #leafpainter #leafart #leafartist #natureart #naturepainting #acrylicpainting #landscapepainting #landscapeart #leafartwork #acryliclandscape #Coloradoart #coloradoartist #Coloradopainting #artreel #artvideo #paintingreveal #artreveal

Throwback Thursday to this Imaginary Book Cover I designed last year for a challenge I helped co-host.

Stay tuned new Imaginary Book Cover Challenge coming in April!!
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#imaginarybook #bookcoverart #illustration #illustrator #coverart #coverdesign #coverdesigner #bookartist #instachallenge #artchallenge #artcommunity

It has been way too long since I have created anything. Almost a month now. Website building, mom life, and responsibilities have really forced my art to the side. I can feel it and now I'm in a weird funk.

To get back into creating I tried a quick neurographic piece (that also worked as practice for a mindful art class I've been asked to teach next month).

I used my newest @bouldercolors palette of bright colors that were inspired by Frida Kahlo. They came in my little monthly subscription and definitely made the swirls happy. They are created with flowers!

I'm hoping for some amazing creating time this week, but we'll see...I thought last would give me time, and I had none.
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#neurographicart #swirls #mindfulness #mindfulart #arttherapy #bouldercolors #brightcolors #plantbasedpaint #naturalpaint #doodleart

I finally get to share another project I completed. This is the poster for my daughter's first high school musical that she is in. She is a little 8th grader in the chorus, but it's still a big deal. I offered to design the poster for the show. Look how pretty!

I really leaned into the joy and sparkles of the show!

Fun fact: Theatre posters are interesting because there are awkward specifications I have to follow in the design. This one was very particular about the sizes of the names compared to the title. And there are so many required names!
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#theatreposter #posterdesign #posterdesigner #digitalart #digitalartist #graphicdesign #graphicartist #graphicdesigner #artanddesign #mammamia #musicaltheatre #highschooltheatre

Throwback Thursday to this aspen piece...as I'm dreaming of spring, friend time, and relaxation.
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#abstractart #abstractpainting #abstractlandscape #landscapepainting #landscapeart #paletteknifepainting #paletteknife #paletteknifeart #aspentrees #coloradoaspen #Coloradoart #coloradoartist #coloradolandscape #abstractaspens #dreamingofspring

The beauty after rain. The blooms after a storm. The joy after darkness.

It's been around 3 weeks since I have created any art. And I'm feeling the angst... I've been a busy mom with family fun time, an avid volunteer with meetings galore, and an entrepreneur trying to create a business website. To say I've been a little preoccupied and busy is an understatement. I'm hoping to get started on some new projects coming up.

In the meantime, I've gotten my first "Happy Mail" subscriber through my Ko-fi site and that brings me a lot of joy.

Here's to the flowing creativity in the upcoming weeks.

This tea bag was painted with gouache. I used an AI image as a reference, but most definitely improved upon it.
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#teabagpainting #teabagart #tealover #miniartwork #miniaturepainting #miniatureart #minipainting #miniart #teabagartist #flowerpainting #rainboots #floralbouquet #joyfulart

I can't believe it. I finally made an official website. It's packed full of art!!! It also has contact info, commission ideas, details on how to connect for professional collaborations, and show/event venue dates.

It's been a true labor of love. It has eaten up the last couple of weeks, and I'm tired. I can't wait to get back to creating art....to then post on my website.

Fingers crossed that this will be a way to grow my art business for both professional work and act as a make shift online shop.

I also still have my Ko-fi and Redbubble pages. Please check those out as well. Links can be found in my bio or on my website. 😁

Here's to the next part of my art adventure!

merakiandimagination.com
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#professionalartist #artanddesign #instaartist #artistoninstagram #artistwebsite #artwebsite #businesswebsite #artbusiness

Remembering the strength of sunflowers and thinking about Ukraine.
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#sunflowers #sunflowerart

Yesterday was my husband's birthday and this was a little gifty for him. He loves penguins.

It feels fitting to share it today because it has officially been declared a snow day here
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#teabagpainting #teabagart #teabagartist #miniartwork #miniaturepainting #tinyartwork #penguinart #penguinpainting #cuteartwork

I'm still doing my social media break but I figured I would try and post something. This is a pastel piece I made a couple of weeks ago but never posted. I makes me think of spring...which would be nice.
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#pastelart #pastelartwork #pastelpainting #pasteldrawing #teatime #afternoontea #teandcake #sweettreats #dreamingofspring #tryingnewthings #pastelartist

Hooray!! I'm thrilled to share that this gorgeous piece won "Best of Mixed Media" in the Art from the Heart juried art show.

If you're in the area you should check it out. This weekend, there is also a mini art sale with art from some of the local artists...mine included.
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#artaward #awardwinningart #bestofmixedmedia #mixedmeadiaart #collageartwork #collageart #awardwinningartist #artfromtheheart #artshowlife #juriedartshow

Greetings from Mexico! Ok, I'm not actually in Mexico, but I got paint from @bouldercolors that is from the milkweed plant in Michoacán.

My Boulder Colors subscription this year includes exclusive watercolor paints and a fun letter with notes about their family travels around the world. February focused on the monarch sanctuaries in Mexico. Using their letter as inspiration, I created a painting of monarchs in motion. I used the special paint included this month as well as some milkweed paint from a special monarch inspired kit also by Boulder Colors.

It's not too late to join in on the adventure.
Use the code KENDRA15 to get 15% off your entire purchase from Boulder Colors.
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#watercolorfun #watercolorpainting #watercolorart #paintfromplants #bouldercolors #plantbasedpaint #naturalpaint #abstractwatercolor #butterflypainting #butterflyart #monarchs #monarchbutterflies #monarchpainting #splatterwatercolor

And now for something completely different.

This mixed media piece was so fun to make. I used bark from the tree I got married under, vintage book pages that were my great grandmother's, leaves I brough back from a vacation, pearl beads from a clutch purse of my grandmommy's, tea drips, tissue paper, and watercolor paints made from trees and tea (all the love to @bouldercolors ).

This was a delight because I started with just a general idea and just let the process reveal the art in the end. It was such a nice release. I love how the different textures play together.

This, my Umbrella Pastel painting, and my leaf with the Boulder Flatirons are all in the Art from the Heart show this month. First show of the year!
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#mixedmedia #collageart #vintagevibes #papercraft #collageartwork #mixedmediaart #mixedmediaartist #3dart #textures #vintageart #tryingnewthings #foundobjectsart #bookpageart #steampunkvibes

I've made a decision to take a step away from social media this month. I have found myself doom scrolling under the guise of trying to stay informed. I'm not hiding or ignoring what is happening around me. I'm simply going to be very intentional about my time. I'm still hoping to post things when I can. But I might not respond right away or comment on others' posts like usual.

I'm literally setting a timer on my phone to prevent me from getting sucked into all of the bad. Instead of scrolling and getting angry, I will be very intentional about my news for roughly 15 minutes each day...not on the socials.

I'm hoping to heal my heart and mind so that I can be better prepared and stonger to fight back and support those who will need it. I want to reclaim the simple joys in life that are being overshadowed by the dark. This is the start of some hard times and I refuse to just let hate win.

Stay strong my friends, but also take care of yourselves. Much Love!
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#selfcare #lovewins #staystrong #intentionality

Whimsuary Prompt 12: Moths in the Moonlight

I'm sad I didn't end up doing all of the prompts for Whimsuary, but life was kicking my butt this month. I did get this last one completed. These lunar moths were calling to me.

Painted on a teabag. There is a sparkle to it, but I can never photograph sparkles properly.

Thanks to the hosts:
@taylormaw_art
@kaylene_rose_imagines
@diggitigirl
@sarawilliaillustration
@zacharygladwin
@biva.draws
@jennifer.gallery
@sarafandrey_illustrations
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#Whimsuary2025 #whimsuary25_mothmoonlight #artchallenge #artcommunity #artprompt #Whimsuary #teabagpainting #teabagart #teabag #miniaturepainting #miniatureart #minipainting #miniart #teabagartist #mothart #moonpainting
#magicalart #tinyart #lunarmoth

Feeling the need to share this today.
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#diversity #bethechange #dei #watercolorart #peoplematter #loveislove #beautyindiversity #heartart

New Leaf Painting!!

Colorado, how I love you! This is a moment from last summer when my family took a little hike in Boulder. The weather was wonderful, my girls were happy, and the scenery was beautiful.
I wanted to try and capture the warm summer glow and joy of the day.

This is the biggest leaf I've painted so far. It feels like it took me forever. The painting is about 8x7 in and will be matted in a 16x20 frame to accommodate the stem. It will be in the Art from the Heart art show at College Hill Library next month.
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#paintedleaf #leafpainting #acrylicpainting #landscapepainting #landscapeart #leafartwork #acryliclandscape #flatirons #bouldercolorado #Coloradoart #Coloradoartist #coloradolandscape #mountainpainting #wildflowers #Coloradopainting

Have I mentioned that I'm feeling these rainy night vibes.

Here's another abstract pastel piece from last week's pastel play sessions.
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#pastels #pastelpainting #pasteldrawing #pastelartwork #impressionisticart #rainydaypainting #arttherapy #nighttimerain #abstractart #rainycity

Sneak Peek of a Work in Progress, a little something new.
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#wipart #mixedmediaart #mixedmediaartist #3dart #textures #vintageart #vintagevibes #papercraft #collageartwork #sneakpeek #newartcoming

More rainy night colors.

Sometimes, painting more abstract is how you get the feels out. The world is dark right now, but in that darkness, I'm trying to see the magic colors and light.
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#pastels #pastelpainting #pastelart #softpastels #pasteldrawing #pastelartwork #impressionisticart #rainydaypainting #arttherapy #nighttimerain #abstractart #abstractpainting #rainycity

I'm not gone, I'm just full of anxiety, stress, and imposter syndrome.

I've been busy experimenting and feeling crappy about all the things I'm making.

I know that I'm the only one putting the pressure on myself. Mostly because last year was so successful and amazing...what if it was just a fluke?

I'm trying hard to be the girl who sees the bright colors in the nighttime rain. But all I'm feeling is tired and unsure. My confidence is lost in the puddles somewhere.

This week I have been covered in pastel dust. This is one of the many trials and experiments. After the week I've had, I can't tell if this is a mess or just impressionistic. If it makes people feel something or if it's only full of "meh." If it's "good enough" (whatever that means) or just good enough for me (whatever that means).

Blah! If you got this far: thanks for taking that time. It's been a long week and I'm fried. Hugs to you all.
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#pastels #pastelpainting #pastelart #softpastels #pasteldrawing #pastelartwork #impressionisticart #rainydaypainting #arttherapy

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@kncp_imagine.meraki

Explore the Creations

Check out my variety of Fine Art, Illustrations, and Design Projects

A honeybee on a purple flower painted on a tea bag

Tea Bag Paintings

My combined love of tea and art. True Miniature Masterpieces!

Book Covers

A design portfolio of both real and imaginary book covers I have designed.

Painted Leaves

Beautiful moments painted on real preserved leaves!

an illustration of a group of sheep floating with balloons near a rainbow

Digital Art

Art created with photographs, a drawing pad, and Photoshop.

Mushroom Face.jpga charcoal drawing of a woman's face with mushrooms sprouting out of her

Full Gallery

Some of my favorite pieces in various mediums and styles.

a poster for guys and dolls with a night cityscape and silhouetted couple dancing, big dice rolling

Theatre Posters

A collection of professional poster design work I have created.

Commissions & Collaborations

I love creating special and personal art, whether that be a landscape, portrait, or an abstract statement piece.

I also create art for professional projects and design opportunities.

Fine Art

Choose your medium, style, and subject to get a one of a kind

piece made specifically for you.

For Example:

A landscape painted on canvas or a leaf.

A unique portrait or illustration.

A large abstract painting.

The possibilities are endless.

Digital Requests

Digital illustrations and photographic art.

For Example:

Digital Watercolor renditions of your family, pets, or favorite location.

Digitally painted illustrations of animals or your kids.

Digital collages to add unique art to your collection.

* All digital work is created without the use of AI technology.

Professional Collaborations

Art Created for Professional & School Contracts

For Example:

Book Covers

Theatrical Posters

Graphic Design & Advertisements

Logo Design

Ashlie G

"I have purchased many of Kendra's works of art. I can truly say Kendra wears her art on her sleeve. Every piece is full of emotion and creativity. She puts her full self into her work."