Fun and inspiring art journaling video...

I had this idea to make an art journaling video with a photocopy of my selfie and applying a whole page of positive affirmations.  As artists we are often way too hard on ourselves, so why not get in a really good mood via some affirmations to uplift us?!

Have fun creating today! :)  Let me know in the comments what you thought of the video, please.  If you'd like to join my newsletter, please click HERE.

Freebie for you!

Hi gorgeous reader,

I have met many aspiring artists who are at a loss how to get started painting.  They may have overcome the "I don't know how to draw" or the "I have no talent" excuses and gathered some art supplies and are ready to go, but they are afraid to start.  I call it the "white page syndrome."  Not that I invented that, but I can relate.  Many a time I have stared at a blank page in my journal or a canvas without any idea what to put there.  Color is always good of course, but shapes can lead to new experiences, and nothing has to be perfect.  So many are waaay too critical of their efforts.  Just remember that most artists started from scratch, literally.

I like to meditate, and it has been a habit of mine for many years.  I decided to give away a simple 10 minute audio art meditation with this newsletter sign up.  I would love to hear what you thought of the audio!  Was it helpful?  Did it inspire you to get into the paints?  You can leave a comment here or on my FB page, HERE.
To sign up for my newsletter and receive the freebie audio, click HERE.

If you already are on my mailing list, comment below and I will send you the audio via email.

Thank you for stopping by!  Happy art-ing. :)

Maria

Greene Earth, a work in progress...

Hello lovelies,

Thank you for checking back! I’m in my new home on the web, Greene Earth... but the website is not quite finished, so I decided to post here as well until things are completely applied. 

I have so many interests, and how do you weave them all together??  Instead of having several websites, I decided to have ONE and post about my two big passions, art and writing.  To juggle everything is a journey for sure (sometimes a crazy one.)

Mixed media art, JOURNEY "12×12.”

Sometimes I get stressed out about where to put my focus.  One day I’m inspired to paint, the next to write.  I try to follow my muse, but she is pretty fickle at times, lol.  I’m not super woman, and I suspect I will have to make a choice into which area to put my full effort.  To truly succeed in fulfilling my highest potential in any area, I have to be 100% present to the challenge.  To grow, it takes all the attention and effort.  When I started out as a writer, I had an enormous passion and drive to succeed, and I did!  It took several years to get published, but I stuck with it.  Sometimes we have to stick with something even if there are no signs that success is on the horizon.

The whole idea of success is the journey itself, something I’ve learned as I’ve moved forward with my art.  It has been a more tentative affair, trying a style here, and then another.  I think I’ve gone through at least ten styles as an artist, but in the exploration, my true voice has slowly emerged.  I don’t think I’ll ever be done exploring the magic of art, but a surer approach evolves.  I’m no longer afraid to explore whatever crazy idea comes into my mind.  If I don’t like it, I can always paint over it.

Speaking of paint, I recently took Flora Bowley’s online course Bloom True.  It involves intuitive painting, which is an expression that fascinates me.  It takes immense trust to “go with the flow” and just paint in the moment to see what comes up.  We worked on three canvases at once and looked for elements that stood out in the chaos of the paint, and then enhanced the forms.  I’m not quite done with mine, but here are the works in progress:

 

 

Here you can see the chaos of paint.  This has since turned into this:

 

It’s not anywhere near completed in this picture, but it has a good feeling to it.  The head is way too small, but I love her expression.  And the sun in the belly!  That is the creative fire.

And finished!

 I have worked on a third canvas that started out with the most lovely colors, and ended up kind of blah, so far.  I don’t know where it’s going.  It has the shape of two heads, but one of the things we learned in the course is to keep turning the canvases around and painting whatever we see as we go along.  It’s a very freeing method, and it takes away all attachment to the outcome.

Sometimes it takes a while before a picture reveals itself, and sometimes, it ends up being a collage of colors.  There are no rules, no right or wrong.  I truly enjoy the journey!  Maybe I should go paint something now…
I would love to hear what you’re working on, and if you want a free mixed media tutorial PDF, sign up for my art newsletter HERE.  Thank you for visiting! xo