Happy artist, Misty Lemons, smiling in front of her artwork displayed at her solo show, Musings
From now through November 8th, my solo art show Musings is on display at The Flying Squirrel Coffee Shop in Crowley, Texas, hosted through the Mansfield Tournique Art Collective.
Musings features acrylic and watercolor paintings of whimsical animals and themed pieces bursting with color and personality. For me, art is more than paint on paper, it’s a way to heal, cope, and process life’s challenges.
Here I am striking a happy pose in front of my art show
These colorful, lighthearted themes reflect my desire to brighten the world, even when things feel heavy. Every brushstroke is a reminder of resilience, hope, and the small moments of joy that can transform difficult experiences.
Come with me to set up my solo art show, Musings at Flying Squirrel Coffee in Crowley, Texas. Watch and subscribe to my YouTube
If you’re in the area, I’d love for you to stop by, sip some coffee, and see the work in person. Maybe you’ll leave with a smile or even a favorite piece to take home.
Exhibit Dates: Now through November 8th, 2025 Location: The Flying Squirrel Coffee Shop, Crowley, TX Presented by: Mansfield Tournique Art Collective
To Learn More About My Art & To Shop, Visit My LinkTree You Can Also Subscribe To My YouTube For Behind The Scenes Fun & More
Copyrights & Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To The Artist, Misty Lemons/Misty Blue Arts Do Not Copy Or Reproduce
“Aquatic”, 30×40 Inch Abstract Painting by Award Winning Artist, Misty Blue of Misty Blue Arts
Playful splashes of blue and green, Aquatic is one of the pieces now hanging in my third-ever solo art show, at the Flying Squirrel Coffee Shop in Crowley, Texas. The exhibition, presented through the Mansfield Tournique Art Collective, runs now through November 8th.
For me, each solo show is more than just an opportunity to share my art, it’s a celebration of how far I’ve come. Growing up, I never imagined I’d see my work displayed for others to enjoy. Art has been my lifeline, helping me heal and cope through some of life’s hardest moments, from the loss of my mother to having thyroid cancer, and growing up in an abusive home. My colorful, whimsical paintings, that often feature playful animals, are a reflection of my desire to brighten the world, both for myself and for others.
Aquatic holds a special place in this collection. Its serene yet vibrant feel reminds me of the beauty and peace that can still be found, even in turbulent waters. That theme flows throughout the show: hope, resilience, and finding light in unexpected places.
The Flying Squirrel Coffee Shop offers the perfect backdrop, a warm, inviting space where art and community meet. Whether you stop in for coffee, conversation, or simply to take in the art, I hope my paintings bring a little joy to your day.
This exhibition is a reminder that healing can be colorful, and that art has the power to connect us in ways words sometimes can’t. I’m grateful to the Tournique Art Collective for believing in my work and to everyone who takes the time to see it in person.
Artist, Misty Blue of Misty Blue Arts. Here Misty is holding a paintbrush and wearing her favorite jean jacket, her mother’s beaded turquoise necklace, and pins she created (that are also available in her shops).
Copyrights & Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To The Artist, Misty (Blue) Lemons of Misty Blue Arts Do Not Copy Or Reproduce
After years of hard work, some doubt about the algorithm, and posting consistently (posting up to a few videos a week), one of my YouTube shorts finally got over ten thousand views. It didn’t happen overnight. It took a few days, but it reached twentyfour thousand views altogether. It’s my most viewed video to date. It’s not exactly a viralvideo, but it is to me!
You can watch the video here and please feel free to subscribe. It helps with my dream to be able to support my family with my art. Thank you.
“Inner Strength” is a abstract mixed media art piece created by award winning artist, Misty Lemons of Designs By Misty Blue Art. It’s made from watercolor paper and paint and polymer clay.
The video is ten seconds long and starts with me putting watercolor paint onto the rim of a disposable cup and finishes with a photo of me holding the completed art piece. I used a popular sound that would be familiar to many. I used text overlay on the video and made sure to have a detailed description and hashtags.
The beginning of the video was just a small snippet I took from my previous YouTube livestream that I sped up for time. The quick movements capture the eye and holds attention.
In my description I detailed the name of the piece (“Inner Strength”), the art materials used, and some of the process it took to create it. I also connected the livestream video where I worked on the piece as a related video.
All of this combined with consistency and a little bit of luck are what I believe helped the video get the views it has. I also recently reached over 1,000 subscribers and have heard this helps open up the algorithm more as well.
The algorithm on social media platforms can be incredibly daunting to overcome for so many, myself included. It seems fickle at best. Some people get lucky and strike gold immediately. Others can work for years with little or no returns. I always said if I can figure it out, I wouldn’t gatekeep, so I’m sharing what I learn and hope it helps others. I by no means of any stretch of the imagination have it figured out and can offer absolutely no guarantees, but this is what I’ve learned and believe it has helped me.
Above everything, stay consistent, but remember to add a description and several tags. I hope your hard work pays off for you. I’m wishing you the best and I’m rooting for you!
*UPDATE: A few days after having two shorts hit over 20,000 views in the same week, my views tanked. This happened immediately after YouTube wanted me to promote my channel. I’m thinking this is no coincidence. They seemingly opened my views to only shut it off to entice me to promote my channel. I believe this is what happened. The timing of it makes sense, unfortunately and I’ve heard of other social media platforms doing the same sort of thing to people. But I will do what I always do. Carry on. It’s a let down, but not surprising. My advice, remains the same, though. Stay consistent, but not for an algorithm. Do it for yourself. Do it for the love of your art and content. Do it because you wanna make a positive difference. Do it because it matters and means something to you, whether you have a large audience or not.*
To Learn More About Me, Shop My Art & Commissions, Please Visit My Link Tree. Thank You.
*For Educational Purposes Only
Copyrights & Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To Misty R. Lemons/Designs By Misty Blue Do Not Copy Or Reproduce
Sometimes, I wonder how my life would be different had I not had chronic illnesses. Unfortunately, I’ve been ill in one way or another the majority of my life, so I can’t really say how it could’ve been. Anything I imagine would only be a dream.
Here I am contemplating my next art piece, or wondering how I can afford to go to the doctor, or both
Health is wealth that is easy to take for granted if you have it. And society just isn’t set up to be accommodating to those with illnesses or disabilities. I mean, think about it. It starts early in life. Schools reward and praise the kids that never miss a day, whether they’re sick or not. It’s like they’re saying they don’t care if you’re sick and taking care of yourself is shamed when you don’t get the accolades of perfect attendance. But health is a privilege and so is healthcare, when they should be human rights.
America is one of the richest countries in the world and it’s where I happened to be born. But capitalism, greed, rugged individualism, bigotry, and eugenics are heavily integrated into the systems that run our country and many a people have been fighting it, demanding change and equity/equality for a long time.
My mother was disabled. I had a front row seat to see just how difficult life is for someone with chronic illnesses and disabilities. She worked hard to make sure we had healthcare, a clean house and clothes, and food to eat, but government assistance only goes so far. By the end of every month free school lunches were our primary source for food.
Now, as an adult in need of access to healthcare, I’m well aware that to even be considered for government assistance in my state, you have to be at or below poverty level. Working class folks who are scraping by can’t afford health insurance or healthcare in general. Subsidies help on income tax, but what about now, in this moment? And deductibles are in the thousands, so you’re just throwing money away and not many physicians even take Obamacare, so the task of finding a decent doctor is even more slim than they are without Obamacare.
My health started to really decline in my teens. I had proof from my doctor that I was suffering and needed an accommodation to take an elevator instead of stairs to get to my second story classes. I was denied that accommodation because I looked fine. I wasn’t in a wheelchair or on crutches. I was in an incredible amount of pain, but looked perfectly healthy. The whole “suck it up” mentality and way of forcing others to do things they shouldn’t doesn’t work. At least, for the ones being forced. I quit school. I didn’t see any other option. I couldn’t carry what felt like fifty pounds of books up and down stairs on my back day in and day out. (My classes were nowhere near the locker I was provided, so I was forced to carry all my books) I physically couldn’t do it.
My mom pushed to get me into a one story alternative school and that’s where I was until I almost died from an ectopic pregnancy and then a few months after that my dad tried to kill my mother in a crowbar attack. I left school for good after that. I took on the responsibility of caring for my mom and brother until she moved away to be closer to my dad while he was in prison. But those are stories for a different time. Let’s get back to living with chronic illnesses.
Here’s a glamor shot of my mom. We went to the mall, when I was 13, to get our pictures done. We had so much fun being made up and dressed up, but wound up only being able to get this picture and one of me. It was way too expensive.
Finding gainful employment as a person with chronic illnesses and/or disabilities is incredibly difficult, if not impossible. So many jobs aren’t understanding when you need to take time off to receive healthcare, when you need to rest and recuperate, don’t provide health insurance, or they don’t want to provide even the most basic of accommodations to help you perform at your job, such as working from home. Most work without accommodations, are under paid, work til their bodies simply can’t anymore, don’t have a job, are homeless, or are self-employed.
I’ve been working as a self-employed artist for the past twenty plus years. I’ve been fortunate that my husband has been the main provider of our family and he encourages me to follow my dream. But anyone can become disabled at any time of their life and he now has some health issues as well. His employer doesn’t offer health benefits and his pay was recently cut, as well as the position he held. So, I’m now creating art tutorials in the hopes to supplement our income. I’ve also joined a local art group, so that I can exhibit and potentially sell my artwork.
My whole family needs to see a doctor for all different reasons, but we just can’t afford it. I’m now suffering from gastrointestinal issues and need testing and to see a specialist, but it’s not going to happen unless I can move some of my art and tutorials or accept donations through fundraising.
Here I am with one of my art tutorial pieces. It’s a watercolor fairy garden mushroom.
Back in 2011, I had thyroid cancer and now my doctor is concerned I could potentially have a gi type cancer. If that turns out to be the case, I don’t think I’ll be able to fight it with the financial situation we’re in now and that terrifies me. I’m trying to stay positive and have been doing PayPal fundraisers. But I can’t do this alone. My family and I appreciate your support. Whether you donate, purchase my art and art tutorials, or share my posts on social media. Thank you.
I’m pleased to announced that my first ever arttutorial is here!!! Discover the necessary supplies for watercolorpainting and practice two techniques today!
Feel comfortable and capable as I guide you through what you’ll need to get started in watercolor painting!
Eleven years ago, I had surgery to remove my thyroid. I had two terribly painful lemon size nodules on my thyroid. One in front of the other.
Here I Am, Before Surgery. I Look Happy, But Was Completely Scared.
When they removed everything, they ran tests on the thyroid and nodules. They found a small amount of cancer in my thyroid. Thankfully, removing it was enough to treat it. I didn’t need chemotherapy.
Here I Am After Surgery And Having An Ordeal Post Op. I Was Miserable And Could Hardly Speak. The Surgery Effected My Vocal Chords.
My health is still a struggle, even after all these years. But in all this time, I’ve also had incredible and wonderful things happen that I’m extremely grateful for.
Here I Am (Center) With My Husband (Left) And Son (Right). We Have A Silly Accessories Filter On. This Was Taken At A Local Art And Music Festival.
Spending time with my family and creating art are at the top of my list of things I’m thankful for.
I’ve won awards for my art and photography. I’ve gotten to paint a mural, curated an exhibition that I participated in with a great group of art friends, I stream live while I paint, and so many more fantastic things, in spite of my health and childhood and medical trauma.
Here’s The Give Love Project And Exhibition I Curated And Participated In With A Great Group Of Art Friends. (My Piece Is Pictured Center)
It has been a tough journey, but I’m glad I could be on it. I’m still here and made a YouTube video to prove it!
I lost my mom and my dog this year, within months of each other. And as hard as it’s been, I’m blessed to have gotten to share my life with them. They blessed me with their love and support. I miss them every single day. I hope they can see me and are cheering me on.
Here’s A Glamour Shot Of My Beautiful Momma! I Miss You, Mom And Love You Bunches!Here’s My Beautiful Buddy (A Lab Heeler Mix) Who I Lost Two Months Before Losing My Mom. I Miss Him So Much. Here’s A Photo I Recently Took Of Myself On One Of My Jaunts To Paint In The Park (I Stream It Live On TikTok, Designs By Misty Blue)
If you’ve ever experienced anything similar, please feel free to share in the comments.
Thank you for reading my blog and for supporting me. To learn more about me, visit my LinkTree.
Copyrights & Reproduction Rights Belong Solely To Misty R. Lemons/Designs By Misty Blue Do Not Copy
Here I am standing with a large 3d statue of a hand reaching out. I painstakingly hand painted it in an homage to Van Gogh. It’s named “Never Let Gogh Of Your Dreams”.
A friend purchased this large statuette at Ross with the hopes of doing something special with it. She never got around to painting it, so she asked me to work some magic and my first thought was Van Gogh’s Starry Night. What could be more magical?!
Detail Photo Of “Never Let Gogh Of Your Dreams” by artist Misty Lemons of Designs By Misty Blue
I liked the idea of the design swirling around the length of the arm and stars kissing the fingertips on the statue. I love how the piece turned out, but it fought me every step of the way. Lol! Van Gogh was a genius who created flowing, passionate works of art. To try to recreate such a unique style was difficult, but well worth the effort and I had so much fun with it!
Detail Photos Of “Never Let Gogh Of Your Dreams” by Misty Lemons
One of my all time favorite artists is Van Gogh. He had a tumultuous life and yet still created brilliant emotionally charged pieces in vibrant colors. You can almost feel the flow of energy radiating from his pieces. I can relate to having difficult and traumatic times in my life also. And though hard times suck, they can enrich the soul and your art. It can make you a more passionate, empathetic person.
“Never Let Gogh Of Your Dreams” by Misty Lemons
The statue stands almost one and a half feet tall. My friend wound up giving me the piece to do what I wish with it. I don’t think I’ll part with it anytime soon. I love how it turned out and I want to keep it in my personal collection for the time being. Despite how large the piece is, it’s fairly lightweight, which helps with carrying it. Right now, I have it on display in my office.
Size Reference (Please, Excuse My Dry Hand! Lol!)
I painted the hand with acrylics and thoroughly sealed it in a semi gloss finish, so it has a nice sheen to it.
I love how painting odd shapes presents a challenge. It was a lot of fun trying to feel out the piece and place the artwork in a pleasing manner. Painting rocks prepared me well for this challenge! A rocks surface can present several challenges! From size, texture, surface, porousness, and more! I love painting rocks!
Large Rock I Painted (This Piece Is Also A Part Of My Personal Collection)
I hope the name of the piece resonates. Despite hardships and disadvantages, it’s important to hang on to hope. Please, remember to “Never Let Gogh Of Your Dreams”.
Hi! I hope you are well. My apologies for being an inconsistent blogger. Life and all, you know. I am over 40 now and with the arrival of the pandemic and being newly diagnosed with a serious health condition, I’ve been taking stock of my life. I’ve also been working on healing childhood trauma. I’ve been learning a lot and doing quite a bit of soul searching. And I’m trying to take what control I can over my health, but it’s not easy with and especially without health insurance. It’s been a lot to take in and it’s been exhausting.
With all the inner work I’ve been doing, I haven’t had much time for anything else. I was creating sporadically, but my zest was lacking. I’ve only just started to feel more like myself and have been creating more consistently and happily.
My son has been a great springboard for ideas and advice. I’ve got a plan now and he’s helping me where he can. I’ve built a website and it includes an online shop. I’m going to be focusing on stickers, pins, paintings, and eventually, artprints. I’m super excited and am having so much fun along the way! Website/Shop
My son and I have also been working hard and having fun adding videos to my YouTube channel.
Reorganizing my office to make it a more workable efficient space has been a top priority. I’m adding shelving, a cubby with cloth bins, and a dresser to hold my printer and Cricut Maker.
I set up an account with a shipping company and have designed proof of purchase receipts and an inventory list. It’s been a lot of work and I love it! It gives me purpose and a path forward.
My son is almost an adult now and before too long will leave the nest. That’s been especially hard for me. All I’ve ever wanted was a family. Raising him has been my purpose and my privilege. Now, I need to focus on myself and give myself a new purpose. My art is my purpose. I’ve always been an artist. I’ve always loved creating. It only makes sense to pursue it.
I’m a bit of an underdog. I’m a plus sized, middle aged, chronically ill, introverted woman. The odds are against me, but I’m strong-willed and driven. I’m full of passion and heart. I believe in myself and I believe in making a positive difference in the world with my art and heart. I hope you’ll join me on my journey and I hope to count on your support. Thank you for reading my blog. It means a great deal to me. Please, subscribe!
As the year comes to a close, I’m wont to reflect upon the highs and lows of the year. I’m sure so many are doing the same all over the world.
For me, the year has been an emotional rollercoaster. I bet you can relate. It was getting to a point where it was effecting my health, so I was put on an anti-anxiety medication. Which, has taken the edge off. You may be thinking I’m oversharing and I might be, but if you are going through some things, just know you aren’t alone. It’s been a tough year for a lot of people and it’s okay to seek help. You don’t have to shoulder the burden alone.
That said, there’s been a bunch of good too! People coming together (but staying apart, if that makes sense), people trying to help others stay calm or find peace and comfort, artists trying their level best to make a positive difference. Myself included!
Earlier this year, right after the pandemic hit, I decided to create a project with other artists, all while in lockdown/quarantine. I came up with the Artists Give Love Project. We each created a painting of a message we wanted to convey to our communities and the world. I did “Give Love”, but there was also “Give Kindness”, “Give Thanks”, “Give Hope”, and more. In the end, we created a video challenging others to give messages and then ultimately, our pieces were hung in an exhibit at the Farr Best Theater in Mansfield Texas. The project was even featured in an Art News article circulated online for Texas artists to read and be a part of.
I’m proud that I could curate such a fine endeavor with a group of highly talented artists with kind, beautiful souls. And from that project grew friendships and strong art connections. I love my arty friends!
During quarantine, I wanted to help artists keep busy during an extremely difficult time and create hope for others who were struggling. To combat anxiety, I drew a lot and I do mean A LOT! My iPad was a constant and welcome companion. Each illustration was meant to shine a light into the darkness, not only for others, but for myself. I’m so thankful I had such an outlet for my thoughts and emotions. And it is my deepest hope that I was able to help others.
This illustration was inspired by the senseless, heartbreaking murder of Elijah McClain. Please, if you don’t know about it, Google it. His family still needs justice. You can also go to their Justice For Elijah page on Instagram.
People are trying to find some sense of normalcy and comfort during these exceedingly difficult times and so people are trying to move on. That said, art/music festivals are trying to find ways to be safe and create opportunities for artists to work. Mansfield had Music Alley this year and though it was less capacity and people had to wear masks, it was a success. I didn’t have a booth set up, but my art was present. I entered into the art contest and the photography contest. I won first place in the photography contest. I actually cried when I found out. It meant so much to me, after the year I’ve had. It was a bucket list item of mine, to win a photography contest. Before I started Designs By Misty Blue, I did photography with Misty Expressions Photography, a hobby that I loved for many years. So photography holds a very special place in my heart.
My Photo That Won First Place In Mansfield’s Music Alley Photo Contest
When I took the photo, we were still in quarantine basically, the tail end of it really. I found out about a huge sunflower field about an hour from our home. It was a welcomed outing for my family. When we got to the field, it was breathtaking! I was so excited that I didn’t look where I was stepping and evidently I trounced through an anthill. I still have the scars on my ankle where they tore into me. But getting this image and especially winning first place made it worth it.
So yeah, it’s been tough. Tougher than most years. But there’s been so much good too. I feel closer to my husband and son. I’ve gained some pretty amazing art friends, and so much passionate art has come from these trying times. I’m counting my blessings, for sure. Keep hope alive. That’s the least we can do. G*d bless and here’s to better days! Cheers!
Copyrights to ALL images displayed here on this blog are the sole property to Misty Lemons of Designs By Misty Blue and Misty Expressions Photography. Do Not Copy Or Distribute Without Permission Or Credit. Permission must be approved first. The same goes for any quotes from my blog. All thoughts expressed are opinions and not subject to legal action, as such. Thank you.
Misty Blue Arts 