VANESSA'S BOX IN PICTURES...

I finished Vanessa's box that I mentioned in a previous post, and here are a couple of pictures. The box has all of her favorite colors, and I like to distress the outside with various layers of paint, and sanding. The inside is painted gold with some inspirational tiles glued to the bottom.

I'm working on another sisterhood painting. How fun!

Woohoo!

Maria

SOLD A PAINTING TODAY...

Today was a great day as I sold one of my paintings, "Sisterhood"! Bailey says he never liked it, but these kinds of paintings have always sold. I have done a series of these, and this is the last one to go. If inspiration strikes, another one will follow. It celebrates the independence of women and also the strength of our support groups/friends. Women are warriors too, and at their best, warriors from the heart.

I don't have a sister, so my friends are my sisters. How much fun I've had with them! Thank you all my "sisters!"

Ciao, Maria

GOT A COMMISSION....

Got a commission for a mosaic box from my friend Vanessa. She believes in miracles, so it'll be a miracle box. Her favorite colors are purple, turquoise, and blue. She mostly wears purple dresses, REALLY frilly dresses. She's my total opposite, as I prefer jeans and tops, but we get along swimmingly! (That's what they would say in England in the old days. Vanessa is from Bath in Somerset.) Check out her website: www.giftsfromspirit.com I have known her for years.

Her box is almost done, but I don't yet have a picture to post here. Soon... I'm going to get myself into more painting again. I've been making polymer clay tiles for too long and they are addictive. It just goes on and on. On Vanessa's box I put an angel holding a star tile in the middle. It was an old pin I've used as an imprint. The star spells 'Joy' but when you imprint, it's reverse. yoJ. Though it doesn't read correctly, the pronunciation is almost the same... One of those funky little things that happen with handmade stuff. Eeeek, I should just go home. It's been a long day.

Cheerio,

Maria

CHECK OUT MY ETSY STORE....

Check out my etsy store: www.mariagreene.etsy.com
I have listed a bunch of new items, particularly polymer clay embellished boxes that are all unique, and reasonably priced. I baked a whole bunch of polymer clay tiles last night and my work table is covered with painted and unpainted tiles, that is when Bailey doesn't lie stretched out on the table. He says: everything in good time. His timing is flawless at all times.... no pun intended. I can't wait to go home this evening and paint some more. My evenings are filled with creativity and fun! If one day go by and I don't do something creative, well, that day went and will never come back.

If you create art or crafts you'll find that you "disappear" in the joy of doing it. I believe that's our natural state of being! If you experience a block, do it anyway, because along the way you'll break through. Artist's block mostly appear when we expect too much of ourselves instead of trusting that flow to bring through the vision we need. Try another technique to get the juices flowing, or go to an art exhibit. Other people's art tends to inspire.

Try something new today, and happy creating!

Maria

BAILEY SAYS: "LAZY CAT WHO DOESN'T CREATE..."

.....BAILEY ACTUALLY SAYS: LAZY CAT LIKES TO SLEEP"...

Well, at least he knows what he wants. I think he's lazier than Garfield. However,

I have not been lazy this weekend. I created a polymer clay tile mirror and a inspirational box! Bailey slept through the whole thing... Did you know you can use cool buttons to make patterns in polymer clay? Anything that has a dramatic surface makes a good imprint. Sometimes I even embed small charms and figures in the clay. As long as it can be baked safely, the sky's the limit! The paint adds dimension and interest to the surface. You can't go wrong, really, as long as you stay with colors that compliment each other to cut down on the "busy" look that can come from too many mixed patterns and colors.

Creativity strikes again...

CREATIVITY STRIKES AGAIN....

I had a creativity attack yesterday, and I finished one polymer clay embellished box. See above. It has all my favorite colors, blue, turquoise, copper, and a hint of burgundy. Polymer clay is a very friendly and forgiving media to work with. By experimenting you can come up with many great ways to mold it. Perfection some times shows up from a lump of clay... Here are some examples of polymer clay art. Maybe you'll get inspired? I don't use a pasta machine; I roll out the soft clay with a rolling pin, then use a clay blade and various handy tools to make impressions in the clay. It's time consuming, but it's fun to see it grow and turn into a cohesive picture. Color combinations are what make the visual interest.

Bailey is often helping me in my studio by lying right on my work space. His marketing motto for today: Always make sure you're in the center of the action for maximum exposure!

Happy creating! Maria

A NEW DAY, ANOTHER PIECE OF ART...

Hi, my name is Maria and I'm an artist (among other things,) like gardener, shop owner, and butler to His Majesty Bailey, the Cat. I could write a separate blog "by Bailey" but this is an art blog. I love to make art of all forms, but especially painting in acrylics, making mosaics on mirrors and boxes. I use stained glass tile, or polymer clay tiles that I have cut, stamped, painted, and embossed. It's a tricky and time consuming adventure in clay, but the results are always satisfying. As an artist you never know how a project will end. You might have an end result in mind, but halfway thru, the artwork takes on a life of its own... Every artist will tell you that they weren't sure how that dratted cat ended up in the dramatic sunset they were painting, or why the cat was blue along with the purple cat held in the mermaid's arms... Well, honestly, I never painted many sunsets... I have painted a pink beach on occasion, and admittedly a blue cat with white stripes once. If that Blue Dog could make it big, what the heck!

Maria