Mindful Art Studio

Art journaling for self-expression and de-stressin'

Studio Time: Tinkering and Gathering Inspiration

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Dear Wonderful, Creative You:

The last six months have been such an amazing time for me artistically. In the inevitable ebb and flow that any artist goes through, I’ve been enjoying a flow like I’ve never experienced before. I thought you might enjoy hearing some of what’s been working for me.

For sure, my biggest secret and advice to you has not changed: Get in your studio and make something, your art is not going to make itself. Make some studio time for yourself today, even if it’s sitting on a park bench, drawing for 10 minutes. As with any practice, it’s the practice of showing up even when you don’t feel like it that helps you improve and find more pleasure in the process.

ART JOURNALING RESOURCES:

Get in your studio and make something. Your art isn't going to make itself. #doitfortheprocess… Click To Tweet

I hope you find yourself digging for inspiration and letting it through in your art. Drop into the comments and let us know what’s capturing your interest. I want to connect with you! You can also find me on Pinterest and Instagram.

 

Creatively Yours,

 

Amy

 

 

 

 

*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. That means if you choose to click a link and purchase something, at no extra cost to you, you will support the work of Mindful Art Studio to empower the artist in all of us. Thank you!

 

 

 

Adventures in Paper and Fluid Paint: An Accordion Journal Flip Through

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Dear Wonderful, Creative You:

What’s happening in your creative world this summer? I find it’s important to find a technique that lights your fire and makes you want to return to your art table every chance you get. Do you know what I’m talking about? Like when you get up 15 minutes early just so you can make a little progress on that painting, or stay up much too late working on that collage. I’m not saying you need to be in a constant state of inspiration, but feeling excited about your art will help you build a sustained art practice and creative self-care habits. Right now I’m having adventures in paper and fluid paint.

My Accordion Journal Flip Through

I’ve continued to have a blast discovering what I can do with my high flow acrylic paints, gel pens, hole punches, and mixed media paper. I’ve realized that not only can I use these beautiful little paintings as the centerpiece in my tiny Moleskine journal,  but I can also cut my accordion journals to create almost sculptural pieces. While I enjoyed my sculpture class, I would never have said it’s my forte in visual art, so discovering these techniques has been a surprise, and a delight. I’m happy to share my adventures in paper and fluid paint with you:

Making art is always interesting because I find there’s often a moment in the process of making an art piece where I feel my choices are too safe, and I realize they don’t give me that fire of inspiration. That’s always a sign that I need to take some risks. For your art to be really alive and energizing, you have to be willing to make risky choices and chance ruining the piece.

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If you are not sure what sets your heart on fire, why not find out? Search online for art techniques that spark your interest, take an art class in your community or online, go to museums, look through art books, and give yourself permission to be a beginner and try something new. That’s how you feed the creative fire. Sometimes to get to the point where you are willing to let go and be a beginner, you need to get the inner critic taken care of first, if that’s the case for you, check out this post first.

Adventure is adventurous because there’s an excitement attached to the fear. There are always risks and mistakes along the way on a journey, don’t you think? So why not in our art? And for that matter, why is it not okay to feel disappointed at times with what we create? I think it’s unrealistic to expect that everything we make will be  “good.” We need to expand our idea of what a “good” art process is, instead of focusing so much on good art. After all, most of us are making art in order to have fun, so why don’t we relax and have some fun making art?

Enough of playing it safe in your art. Let's have an art adventure together instead.… Click To Tweet We need to expand our idea of what a good art process is, instead of focusing so much on good art.… Click To Tweet

 

Creatively Yours,

Amy

 

P.S. If you’d like to learn more about how to use these fluid acrylic paints, you can click here to learn more.

 

*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. That means if you choose to click a link and purchase something, at no extra cost to you, you will support the work of Mindful Art Studio to empower the artist in all of us. Thank you!

 

 

 

 

How to Make a Little Art Everyday

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Dear Wonderful, Creative You:

I’d like to share a personal story about why I make a little art everyday. My parents both grew up poor. Their families were raised in the depression and so they learned to be resourceful and practical. They both scraped together what they could, and worked from a young age to contribute to the family. Neither went to college. While they both found success in adulthood, neither was exposed to, or ever developed an appreciation for art.

When I came along, with all my various creative passions, they thought my creativity was “nice,” but they never got excited about my art. Several years ago I was shocked to learn that my mom had an idea for a mystery novel, and had even written a bit of it, but then let it go. I asked if she thought she would write it now that she had time in retirement. She said, “Maybe someday.” She died a year later.

I don’t want to live – and die – in the “maybe someday.” 

Something else will always be a higher priority than making art if you let it. We tell ourselves we can’t because the “right” art supplies are “expensive,” and taking time to make art is “indulgent.” In the context of a culture that tells us that only “gifted” people are allowed to make art, it’s hard to ignore the negative talk of our inner critic. 

The truth is there is always time for a little art. A little writing. A little dancing. A little art piece. If you make it a practice and a priority to do a little everyday, it becomes a habit, and then a need. Your life begins to subtly shift around this new art habit and then you wonder what you did with your time before. As a bonus, when we “indulge” in creative self-care and art making, we can see how nurturing, healing, and adventurous art time feels, and those around us can see the positive impact in our mood.

Making art is not indulgent, it's necessary. #inchies #mindfulartstudio Click To Tweet

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The Inchie Challenge is Still On!

We’ve been making teeny, tiny art all week, and I’ve heard from so many of you who feel like they are just getting started, so I’ve extended The Inchie Challenge through all of July!  Working small has been so helpful to entice me to make a little art everyday, and I think has helped me to avoid many of the pitfalls that entrap us into thinking our art is not a priority.

 

What to Do with Your Inchies:

There are MANY more ideas in the Fluid Art e-course on how to use your small art in creative ways, but heres a few more ideas on what to create with your inchies.

Here’s 3 simple ideas for how to use your inchies:

1. Use an inchie to inspire a journal spread: Paste it down and create around it.
2. Make a grid of inchies in your journal or on crisp paper and frame it.
3. Give inchies with messages of love and gratitude to someone who needs it.

 

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Learn to use the natural properties of high flow acrylic paint to create in your journal.

 

If You Are Enjoying The Inchie Challenge, You Will Love Fluid Art
The idea behind The Inchie Challenge is to help you challenge negative art assumptions and begin to form a habit of art making a little bit everyday. If you are finding yourself making more art everyday, and pushing your creative boundaries with  The Inchie Challenge, I think you will LOVE Fluid Art. Making a little art in a really flexible way is one of the main principles of the Fluid Art e-course. I want to give you a little peek into what we are doing in Fluid Art.

Just click here to take a peek at our 42-page class PDF:

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I created Fluid Art because I want to show you how fun it is to use high flow acrylics. I think you’ll find, as most of my students have, that it’s hard to stop! Once your little paintings dry, you’ll have a group of mini masterpieces, to embellish a little bit every day. Taking them on the go is easy, working a little bit in the car, on a walk, or in the evening while sitting with family. Fluid Art helps you weave more art into your daily life. 

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Random Drawing Winner
I’m excited to announce that our random drawing winner from amongst all the inchies posted on Facebook and Instagram last week was Reese @warri_her on Instagram. Congratulations Reese! You’re the lucky winner of a spot in our Fluid Art class! We won’t pick another winner, but keep making a little art everyday and post your inchies through July on Facebook and Instagram with #mindfulartstudio to develop your daily small art habit!

Creatively Yours,

Amy

 

There is always time for a little art. #inchies #mindfulartstudio Click To Tweet

 

Something else will always be a higher priority than making art if you let it. #mindfulartstudio Click To Tweet