Paint the Wild Online Artist Community
Make your next chapter one of your most creative.
Rediscover your creativity. Reconnect with nature. Find your people.
I'm building a new kind of online artist community for creative, nature-loving people who want to make painting, nature, and creativity a joyful part of life again, and I'm looking for our first Founding Members.
Whether you haven't painted in years or simply want more time and inspiration to create, Paint the Wild will give you a welcoming place to paint regularly, keep learning, explore the natural world, and help shape a creative community from the very beginning.
Become a Founding Member
$27/month: your rate for as long as you remain a member
Founding Membership closes Sunday, September 27 at 6pm MST.
BECOME A FOUNDING MEMBER
Have you been missing your creative side?
Maybe there was a time when painting, drawing, photography, or simply making things came naturally to you.
Then life got busy.
Work, family, and responsibilities took priority, and your creative interests slowly moved further down the list.
Now you're entering a different season of life, and perhaps you've started wondering:
What would I love to make more time for now?
You may have paints tucked away in a closet. You may feel a little rusty. Or you may already be creating but wish you had more inspiration and other artists to share it with.
Your creativity hasn't disappeared.
It's waiting to be rediscovered.
And maybe you don't have to rediscover it alone.
I'm looking for a small group of creative, nature-loving people who would love to help me create the kind of encouraging, creative community we've been looking for.
Turn "Someday I'll paint again" into "Painting is part of my life"
Paint the Wild isn't about becoming the perfect artist.
It's about making creativity part of your life again.
Together, we're creating a welcoming community with something creative to look forward to each week, it becomes easier to stop putting art off until someday.
You'll have opportunities to:
- Paint more consistently
- Build skills and confidence through practice
- Find fresh inspiration in wildlife and nature
- Make dedicated time that's just for you
- Get to know others who share your interests
- Rediscover the joy of calling yourself an artist
Little by little, your brushes come back out.
Your confidence grows.
And creativity begins to feel like part of who you are again.
Help me create a weekly rhythm we look forward to
Imagine a Wednesday morning a few months from now.
You make yourself a cup of coffee or tea, gather your paints, and settle into your favorite creative spot.
You log in and begin recognizing familiar faces.
You know what some of the people are painting. They know what you're working on. You're learning together, laughing together, encouraging one another, and looking forward to seeing what everyone creates next.
That's what I want Paint the Wild to become.
And I'm looking for our first Founding Members to help me build it.
Some of us may have painted for years. Others may be picking up a brush again after decades.
There's no competition and no expectation that everyone's painting should look the same.
This is creative time, not performance time.
Each week gives you another gentle reason to show up for yourself and your art.
You're invited to help me build something wonderful
Become a Founding Member of Paint the Wild
Paint the Wild is just beginning.
And rather than wait until everything is established to invite you in, I'm looking for a special first group of people who would love to help me shape it.
As a Founding Member, you won't simply join a community.
You'll help create one.
Tell me what you'd love to paint.
Vote on upcoming wildlife and nature themes.
Tell me what you'd love to learn.
Suggest creative adventures you'd like us to try.
Share what's working, and what would make Paint the Wild even better.
And help me create a place where people can paint, learn, explore, connect, and keep becoming.
Founding Members will receive:
- Your special $27/month Founding Member rate
- That rate stays yours as long as you remain a member
- Early input on upcoming paintings and themes
- Founding Member polls and conversations
- Special Founding Member gatherings
- Opportunities to help shape future activities and experiences
- Founding Member recognition as one of the women who helped Paint the Wild begin
What you'll experience inside the Paint the Wild Online Artist Community
Paint something wild every week
Join me each Wednesday morning for our live Paint the Wild meetup and create a new wildlife or nature-inspired painting with me, step by step.
We'll explore birds, mammals, landscapes, plants, insects, and other subjects from the natural world.
Because my background is in wildlife biology, we'll also discover something about what we're painting — its behavior, habitat, adaptations, or story.
You won't just leave with a painting.
You'll leave seeing your subject a little differently.
Can't attend live? Watch the replay and paint when it works for you.
Protect time for your own creative projects
Our weekly Creative Night (Monday evenings) is different.
There is no required project or lesson. Bring whatever you're working on — a painting, sketchbook, nature journal, photography project, craft, or another creative pursuit.
It's simply dedicated time to stop thinking about creating and actually create.
Think of it as a standing date with your creative self.
Take your creativity further
For artists who want a little more, our monthly nature-inspired art challenges break a larger project into four manageable stages:
Choose Your Subject → Sketch → Background → Foreground
Work at your own pace throughout the month and watch your artwork gradually come together.
You can also explore our growing Art Class Collection of previous Paint the Wild tutorials whenever inspiration strikes.
There's no need to keep up.
Your creative journey happens at your pace.
It's more than an online painting class
What makes Paint the Wild different is the combination of three things:
🎨 ART
Approachable, step-by-step painting experiences help you practice regularly and build confidence without pressure for perfection.
🌿 NATURE
Our inspiration comes from the wild world around us. Painting becomes an invitation to notice birds, wildlife, landscapes, colors, seasons, and details you may otherwise walk right past.
Take your camera on a hike. Sketch at the park. Photograph a wildflower. Watch a bird. Bring those discoveries home and turn them into art.
đź’› COMMUNITY
We're building this part together.
My vision is a small, encouraging community where creative, nature-loving people know one another, share what they're creating, celebrate progress, exchange ideas, and genuinely notice when someone shows up.
As a Founding Member, you'll help set that tone from the very beginning.
Come for the painting. Help us build the community.
Meet your guide,
Glenda Crawford
Artist • Naturalist • Creative Life Guide
Hi, I'm Glenda, artist and founder of Discover the Wild Side and the Paint the Wild Online Artist Community.
Art and nature have been part of my life since childhood. I grew up drawing, painting, and exploring the woods of our family farm, searching for animal tracks and wildlife. That curiosity eventually led to a bachelor's degree in wildlife biology and experiences with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, a raptor rehabilitation center, and as a park ranger and naturalist.
But like so many of us, life got busy.
Marriage, motherhood, career, responsibilities, and eventually divorce meant my own creativity often came last. I never stopped loving art — I simply stopped making time for it.
Now, in my mid-50s, I'm creating a different kind of next chapter. I've returned to painting, hiking, exploring, and making creativity part of my week again.
And it feels wonderful.
That's a big reason I created Paint the Wild.
I want to help you rediscover the creative part of yourself that may have been waiting while you took care of everything else.
You don't have to be an experienced artist or create perfect paintings. Come as you are. Pick up a brush, explore nature, try something new, and enjoy creating alongside people who understand.
I'm not here to tell you what kind of artist you should become. I'm here to help you rediscover the artist who is already there.
Rediscover your creativity. Reconnect with nature. Find your people.
~ Glenda
Let's Find Our Creative People
Every community has to start somewhere.
I'm looking for the first Founding Members who believe creativity is better when we have people to share it with.
Inside Paint the Wild, we'll have spaces to share artwork, ask questions, exchange ideas, celebrate progress, try fun creative prompts, and get to know one another beyond our weekly painting sessions.
You can participate as much or as little as feels comfortable.
But Founding Members have a particularly special opportunity:
We get to create the culture of Paint the Wild together.
Kind.
Encouraging.
Curious.
Creative.
Welcoming.
A place where wonky bunny ears are celebrated right alongside masterpieces.
Come for the painting. Help build the friendships. Stay for the creative life we're creating together.
Become a Paint the Wild Founding Member
Help me build our weekly creative happy place.
You're invited to become one of the first creative, nature-loving people inside Paint the Wild, and help shape what this community becomes.
FOUNDING MEMBER RATE:Â $27/month
Future Membership: $47/month
Your $27/month rate is yours for as long as you remain a member.
You'll receive:
âś“ Weekly live Paint the Wild sessions
âś“ Weekly Creative Nights
âś“ Monthly nature-inspired art projects
âś“ Growing Art Class Collection + replays
âś“ Artist Circles + community conversations
âś“ Nature and wildlife inspiration
âś“ Founding Member input on future paintings and experiences
âś“ Special Founding Member gatherings and opportunities
Month-to-month • Cancel anytime
Founding Membership closes
Sunday, September 27 at 6:00 PM MT
After that, the $27 Founding Member rate disappears and future membership will be $47/month.
No long-term commitment. Stay as long as Paint the Wild is adding something wonderful to your life.
BECOME A FOUNDING MEMBER: $27/MONTHSee what we are creating
From fluffy rabbits and curious birds to landscapes, wildlife and little discoveries from the natural world, there's always something new waiting for our brushes.
Whether it's someone's first painting in twenty years, a new technique finally clicking, or simply making time to paint every Wednesday, these are the moments we celebrate.
Creative progress, not perfection, is what matters here.
Here's where we could go togetherÂ
A year of wild inspiration
I already have plenty of ideas waiting for us, but Founding Members will also have opportunities to help shape what's coming next.
Each month brings a fresh theme inspired by the natural world, with new subjects, stories, techniques and creative possibilities to explore.
January
New Beginnings
Fresh starts inspired by nature
February
Survival Strategies
Adaptation, attraction and camouflage
March
Hidden Realms
Mystical creatures and enchanted habitats
April
Spring Awakening
Wildlife, ecosystems and renewal
May
Desert Landscapes
Blossoms, wildlife and stories in the sand
June
Forest Explorations
Woodland wildlife and hidden discoveries
July
Water Worlds
Streams, lakes, and wetlands
August
Spirit Animals
Animals, strengths and symbolism
September
Coastal Charm
Shorebirds, sea life and rocky shores
October
Autumn Colors
Fall landscapes, colors and critters
November
Time for Gratitude
Celebrating our connection with nature
December
Winter Beauty
Snow, tracks, wildlife and winter adaptations
Frequently Asked Questions about Paint the Wild
What is a Founding Member?
Why is the Founding Member price lower?
Will my Founding Member price increase later?
When does Founding Membership close?
Do I need painting experience to join?
What is the Paint the Wild Online Artist Community?
What if I haven't painted in years?
What kind of subjects do you paint?
What supplies will I need?
When are the live sessions?
Where does the community happen?
What if I can't attend the live sessions?
Is Paint the Wild like a virtual Paint & Sip?
How is Paint the Wild different from free painting tutorials?
Is Paint the Wild just for women?
Your Next Creative Chapter Is Waiting
Imagine a few months from now.
There's a painting on your easel.
Your brushes aren't gathering dust.
You're noticing birds, wildlife, colors, and landscapes differently because you're wondering what you might paint next.
You're getting better because you're actually creating.
And there's something on your calendar each week that you genuinely look forward to.
Now imagine knowing you helped build the community that made it possible.Â
You don't need the perfect studio.
You don't need years of experience.
And you don't need to wait until you feel completely confident.
And you don't need to arrive after everything has already been built.
You can be here at the beginning.
Become a Founding Member of Paint the Wild
$27/month
Your Founding Member rate stays yours as long as you remain a member.
Founding Membership closes Sunday, September 27 at 6pm MST.
Rediscover your creativity.
Reconnect with nature.
Find our people.
Make your next chapter one of your most creative.
YES! I'D LOVE TO BE A FOUNDING MEMBER