Kaaren Poole
Welcome
. . . to my shop where you'll find the fruits of my practice of art, writing, animals, and learning, all ready to come to you bringing joy and love. You'll find my books with links to their listings on Amazon.com, Art Project and Instruction Videos and PDFs, and a link to my Etsy Shop, Milkweed Village, where I offer a variety of products including paintings, ceramic sculpture, needle-felted sculpture, and other things as the spirit moves me. I hope you'll enjoy your visit!
Books
Milkweed Manor Animal Fiction Series
I've written a series of three books about the animal community living in the forest behind an old English manor house. There are hares, badgers, squirrels, crows, an owl, a fox shaman and his weasel assistant, an expatriated raccoon, and even a disaffected domestic cat. These books contain many full-color illustrations (by me). To find out more and/or purchase my Milkweed Manor books, please click the button below.
Milkweed Christmas Series
Christmas is every bit as exciting to the animals of Milkweed as it is to anyone else, and they've developed a very special tradition over the centuries. Each year, one family takes on the duties of planning and hosting the festivities. These books document those special times, both with writing and so many full-color illustrations. To find out more, and/or order the Milkweed Christmas books, please click the button below.
Art Instruction Books
Back in the 2000's I worked with a wonderful book packager to publish three art instruction books from Sterling Publishers. And a little before that, PLAID, a decorative painting company, published a book of my animal themed decorative painting projects. You can see Drawing Birds with Colored Pencil, How to Sketch Animals, Simple Landscape Painting, and Nature's Vignettes on Amazon. To do so, please click the button below.
Note: Sometimes Amazon doesn't like the way my first name is spelled and you'll get a different page searching for "karen poole." But at the top of the page it will ask "did you mean kaaren poole?" Just click that to find my books!
My Etsy Shop, Milkweed Village
I'm busily working to open my Etsy shop, Milkweed Village. I have a few pieces ready now, but need to create my shop banner, add the administrative details, and create the listings. I'm hoping to open around Thanksgiving, and there will be an announcement in my newsletter and on social media, so stay tuned!
When my shop is ready, I'll be adding a link below, but for now, you might want to sign up for my newsletter so you'll know as soon as Milkweed Village opens its collective doors!
Art Videos and PDFs
After much thought and even more soul-searching, I've decided to offer you these art project videos and PDFs at no cost. As I look back over my life of 77 years now, I'm grateful for all that art has given me. My art practice has eased painful times and made good times even better. And I also appreciate the generosity of other artists and all that they have taught me. Times are tough, and many don't have much disposable income. But I'd like everyone who likes these projects to be able to create them.
That said, if any of you are able and so inclined to support my efforts in some small way, I've included a button which will guide you in contributing an amount of your choice via PayPal. I will appreciate whatever you decide to give, but equally important, I appreciate all of you who like my projects and decide to create them for yourself and, in the process, make them your own.
Paint a heart-warming, inspirational piece, Wonderment
Capture the wonder of a tiny mouse watching dandelion seeds float away on the wind. Display your piece where you'll see it often to be reminded of the miracles residing in life's small pleasures. This project uses graphite pencil, watercolor, a bit of ink, and an opaque acrylic ink pen. A PDF with the supply list, line drawings, and full instructions accompanies the 45 minute video. Enjoy!
Get the project PDF by clicking the button to the right.
get PDF for Wonderment project
Create Fanciful Paper Clay Burdz
This is a truly fun project with a wonderful medium. The burdz are products of your imagination which are simple to sculpt, a joy to paint and decorate, and so sweet to behold! And the medium, paper clay, is inexpensive, readily available, takes paint beautifully, and is a natural canvas for adding found images and objects. I predict you'll find them so engaging that you'll create a whole flock, each with their own personality!
Get your PDF by clicking the PDF button to the right
Creating Burdz PDF
Create Your Own Blank Art Journal
Art journaling is one of my very favorite parts of my art practice, and I especially like to make my own journals. Making my own journal saves me money, but equally important, I can make it any size I want - any page size, any number of pages - and I can use the kind of paper I want - watercolor, mixed media, drawing, even tinted paper. And the blank cover invites me to decorate it. In fact, I consider the two covers a spread in itself.
Making your own journal isn't complicated and doesn't require a lot of tools and supplies. My PDF shows you how. Get it by clicking the PDF button to the right. Enjoy!
create your own blank journal PDF
Guardian Hare Mixed Media piece
Creating this small mixed media piece is pure fun! You'll work with colored pencil, collage, painting, and writing text. And when you're finished, you'll have a lovely little piece to hang on your wall or display on a tabletop easel. Mine hangs on a ribbon over the post on my headboard where she guards me and protects my connection with Happiness, Gratitude, Love and Peace, and Joy. The project materials consist of three videos and a PDF with a supply list, complete instructions, and the hare drawing.
Get PDF by clicking the PDF button to the right
First Snow - Mini Painting
This sweet little scene is a fun project for acrylic painters, even beginners. It's 5" x 7" and I painted it on a small wood panel, so it's perfect for displaying on an easel on a table or shelf. Or photograph your painting and use it on greeting cards! For me, it captures the magic of that special time of year - the first snow. By the way, this would make a great project for a painting party!
The project materials consist of three videos and a PDF with materials list, line drawing, in process photos, and instructions.
