Sometimes a single story can change the direction of your creative life. For me, it started with Willie Nelson and a guitar named Trigger. I watched a documentary about Willie and his beloved guitar, and I couldn't stop thinking about their relationship. Trigger is worn, scarred, repaired, and full of history. But Willie has remained loyal to that guitar through decades of music and memories. Something about that devotion stayed with me. The next morning, I woke up with a pai

Music & Memories Collection | DeElla Hoberg Arts There are songs that take you back to a particular place and time. And then there are songs that take you back to a person you used to be. For me, Don Henley's The End of the Innocence does both. I was fifteen when I first heard the album. My family was visiting Idaho, where I'd spent my earliest childhood years, and I was spending time with my friend Amy. Amy was my very first friend. We'd lived next door to each other from th

Part of the Music & Memories Collection by DeElla Hoberg Sometimes inspiration comes from a beautiful landscape, a meaningful conversation, or a song that takes you back thirty years. And sometimes it comes from a box of junk in the basement. That's pretty much how On Repeat began. I was rummaging around in the basement when I came across a box of old CDs and DVDs. Remember those? We don't even own a CD or DVD player anymore, although we do still have a record player. I looke

Part of the Music & Memories Collection by DeElla Hoberg There was a time when discovering a new band could change your entire world. For me, one of those bands was The Cult. It started during the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of high school. Our next-door neighbor had a nephew visiting from the Los Angeles area. He was a year older than me, cute, and instantly cooler than anyone I knew. Naturally, we were impressed. He introduced us to The Cult by playing th

Part of the Music & Memories Collection by DeElla Hoberg Beatles or Stones? That used to be a perfectly reasonable way to size someone up. I'm a Stones girl. My husband is a Beatles guy. Somehow, we've managed to make it work. But if you really wanted to know someone, you needed to listen to their mixtape. For those of us who grew up before streaming music and carefully curated Spotify playlists, making a mixtape was practically an art form. And I don't mean just throwing a b

Part of the Music & Memories Collection by DeElla Hoberg Some people have the best stories. My friend Gerry is one of them. Gerry and his family have been our neighbors and friends for nearly twenty years. He's one of those people who can walk into a room full of strangers and leave knowing everybody. He's got sparkling blue eyes, Irish charm, and a joke or a story for just about any occasion. He talks a mile a minute, laughs easily, and has a way of making people feel comfor

Part of the Music & Memories Collection by DeElla Hoberg I have a confession to make. I never really liked Rush. Don't get me wrong. They're incredibly talented musicians. But I've always preferred my rock and roll with a little more grit and soul. So naturally, when I asked one of my oldest friends about her favorite music memory, she told me about seeing Rush. Figures. Three California Girls Rachel, Lisa, and I met in high school in Elk Grove, California. We were all smart

Part of the Music & Memories Collection by DeElla Hoberg I have a confession to make. I was a little bit of a closet Deadhead. Which is kind of funny, considering I graduated from high school in 1993, right in the middle of the grunge era. I was much more likely to be listening to Nirvana or Pearl Jam than following the Grateful Dead around the country. In fact, the only time my mother ever stopped me because of what I was wearing, it wasn't because I was dressed like a hooch

Part of the Music & Memories Collection by DeElla Hoberg You don't need a concert ticket to get lost in music. Sometimes all you need is a pair of headphones and a little time alone. I was in my studio listening to Stone Temple Pilots when I started painting Beautifully Complicated. My youngest son, Emerson, had recently gone through a bit of an STP binge, which brought all those old songs back into my life. Not that they'd ever really left. But there's something wonderful ab

I had a pretty wonderful moment this weekend. I opened the Forsyth County News and there I was, along with three of my paintings, featured in the newspaper. I have to admit, it felt really good. I felt proud. A little humbled. And perhaps most importantly, I felt seen. Being an artist can be a funny thing. So much of the work happens quietly, often alone in the studio. There are hours of experimenting, learning, making mistakes, starting over, and wondering whether you're hea

September means festival season is officially in full swing, and my next stop is the Peachtree Corners Festival, September 19–20! This is a big, two-day community festival held around the Town Green in the heart of Peachtree Corners, with artists and craftspeople, live music, a car show, kids' activities, and plenty of food. But one of the things I especially like about this event is the story behind it. The Peachtree Corners Festival is organized by a nonprofit volunteer org

September is shaping up to be a busy month, and this is one event I’m especially excited about. I’ll be at Art on Main in downtown Ball Ground, Georgia, September 12–13 from 11 AM–6 PM. Art on Main brings together artists, makers, live music, food, and one of my favorite things—wandering around a great little downtown looking at interesting stuff. Honestly, they had me at art and live music. What I’m Bringing I'll have a mix of original paintings, fine art prints, and my fram

Make an Art Break Out of Your Lunch Break You don't need to be shopping for anything in particular. Come wander. Look at art. Meet some local makers. Have a mocktail. Maybe find a gift—or something completely unnecessary that makes you happy. That sounds like a pretty good Wednesday afternoon to me. Sip & Stroll at Galleria Wednesday, September 2, 2026 11 AM–3 PM Galleria 300 Galleria Pkwy SE, Atlanta, Georgia 30339, United States I'll be there with plenty of art and would

One of the biggest hurdles for new watercolor painters isn't learning how to use a brush—it's learning how to mix colors. In my beginner watercolor classes, we recently explored the traditional color wheel using our warm and cool primary colors. While the color wheel is a wonderful tool, I noticed that for some students it felt a little overwhelming. They were so focused on understanding the wheel that it became harder to simply observe what their paints were doing. That's wh

"Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity." — Simone Weil My husband doesn’t let me drive on road trips. When we were first together, a million years ago, we would share the driving. Not anymore. Let me explain. My husband is a typical Virgo. He wants to have things organized and lined up. If the map says it should take x amount of time to get to a location, that is the target. To be honest, he likes to beat that time. He drives straight ahead and doesn’t stop un

What if watercolor isn’t supposed to be controlled perfectly? What if some of the most beautiful parts of painting happen when we loosen our grip, let go of perfection, and allow watercolor to do what it naturally wants to do? That’s the heart behind Wild & Loose, an upcoming watercolor workshop with artist DeElla Hoberg at the Cumming Arts Center. This playful, experimental workshop is designed for artists who want to loosen up, quiet the inner critic, and rediscover the joy

Watercolor artist DeElla Hoberg is now enrolling students in new sessions of Watercolor Next Steps, an intermediate watercolor course designed for painters who are ready to move beyond the basics and develop greater confidence, control, and artistic understanding. This six-week class is ideal for students who have completed a beginner watercolor course or already have a basic understanding of watercolor materials and color mixing. Rather than focusing only on exercises and te

DeElla Hoberg is excited to announce new sessions of her popular Beginner Watercolor course at the Cumming Arts Center this summer and fall. Designed specifically for absolute beginners, this six-week hands-on watercolor class helps students build confidence step by step in a relaxed, supportive environment. Whether you’ve never picked up a paintbrush before or you’re returning to creativity after years away, this course is designed to make watercolor approachable, enjoyable,

There’s something really special about painting animals. They don’t pose perfectly.They don’t sit still.And they definitely don’t try to look “polished.” What they do have… is personality. And that’s exactly what I try to capture when I paint a pet portrait. 🎨 Meet Louie Louie came to me as a commission, and from the very beginning, it was clear—this wasn’t just any portrait. This was a dog with a story. Between the reference photos and the conversations with his owner, one

There’s something about an art festival that just feels different. Maybe it’s being outside.Maybe it’s the energy of people walking around, discovering things they didn’t even know they were looking for.Or maybe it’s the simple joy of seeing art in person—not through a screen, but right there in front of you. This Saturday, I’ll be set up at Mayfest in downtown Carrollton, and I’ve been spending the past few days getting everything ready. 🎨 The Behind-the-Scenes Preparing fo