Mindful Art Studio

Art journaling and mindful creation from the heart

Don’t Make Art, Make Marks

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don't make art, make marks, art journaling ideas

 

Dear Wonderful, Creative You:

Happy March! I’ve been deep in content creation mode, and I cannot wait to spill the beans about my new class! It’s going to be such an adventurous and beautiful experience for so many of you, who will dive deeper than ever before into your art practices. Stay tuned for more information on that class.

In the meantime, last week we had a wonderful Facebook Live workshop: Simple Marks & Creative Sparks, where I shared tons of art journaling ideas and some inspiration: stop trying to make art, and focus on making marks. I wanted to inspire you to get beyond the need to always create a “product” and get into the mode of exploration, like a deep sea diver – let’s just see what’s down there, and what we can create. If you missed the workshop and want to take it, I’ll be offering a mini version of it soon, so be sure you are on my mailing list so you don’t miss out.

 

Art journaling ideas

Mark making, whether with a brush, your hands, or random objects, is the basis of most 2-D paintings. The more we understand about the marks and effects we can get with the tools at our disposal, the more fun we have and the more we can say with our art. I find it’s just a ton of fun to explore with repetition, variation, and pattern with mark making.

 

Art journaling ideas

You really don’t need to make anything prescribed in your journal, just explore and enjoy. That’s what your journal is for. See the sea foam green piece? That has some very subtle marks scratched into the paint, and then I glued one of my mini masterpieces on top. And the black and white pieces? I’d like to try that several different ways to see what happens. If this process of simple mark making and play is speaking you to you, I have a new, live format class that’s open to a limited number of people: Diving Deep: Intuitive Art Journaling. We will be learning to dance between artistic technique and using  impulse and imagination to create your own intuitive style. The class starts April 23rd.

 

Art journaling ideas

 

This piece has a lot of marks scratched into paint. I haven’t played with etching in years and it was such fun. I’m excited to do more.

Don't make art, make marks. #markmaking Click To Tweet

Don't Make Art - Make Marks, art journaling ideas

Sometimes a really simple page is so pleasing to the eye. It’s restful and rejuvenating. That’s how I feel about this one.

 

Curious about the supplies I used? Here’s a list with affiliate links:

Strathmore Watercolor Journal

Moleskine Art Plus Sketchbook Large

Moleskine Art Plus Sketchbook, Pocket

Liquitex heavy body professional paint, black

Liquitex heavy body professional paint, white

And the small tubes with the super fun colors are from Dick Blick matte acrylic paints line. While I love the colors, I have to say I’m not a huge fan because when you use a larger amount they smell bad, even once they are dry. You can learn from me and take a pass on these, unless you want to use them on tiny areas. Sorry Blick! I’m a huge fan generally.

Tell me, where has mark making taken you? And if you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for my mailing list so you can join me on the next webinar, be inspired by the next post, and share your wonderful new work with the community.

Creatively Yours,

 

Amy

Choosing from the Heart with Connie Solera

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Dear Wonderful, Creative You:

I’m excited to be brining you this conversation with Connie Solera of Dirty Footprints Studio on the merits of choosing from the heart, both in her life and in art. We talk about how art helps us know ourselves and our needs. I especially loved her insight about how getting to know your own creative process is one of the most important ways to diminish the power of the inner critic. You can learn more by tuning in here. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.


Video Notes:

How are you showing up to your art process? What do you need in order to show up if you haven’t been lately? Tell us about it in the comments and share this post with anyone who might need a creative boost.

 

Creatively Yours,

Amy

 

 

 

 

Feeding Your Soul One Mindful, Creative Act At a Time

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Feeding Your Soul One Creative Act at a Time, mindfulness and art, mindful art
Photo credit: Tory Williams

Dear Wonderful, Creative You:

I’m coming to you fresh from my first Squam Art Retreat on Squam Lake in New Hampshire. As often happens with such experiences, I’ve arrived home inspired, slightly disoriented, and wanting to carry what I felt on retreat into my everyday life. One of the ways I want to do that is by sharing about it with you.

art of mindfulness, mindful art, art and mindfulness

Choose to Live in Abundance

I was delighted by how every aspect of the environment and my experience was infused with generosity and abundance. Handmade flags, fabric garlands, and pom poms decorated our meeting spaces and popped up periodically on tree branches and swimming docks. Sleeping in cabins in the forest on the edge of the lake, we were blessed each day by still waters, the calling of loons, and star-filled nights sitting out on the dock.

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'By doing what you love, you inspire and awaken the hearts of others.' - Satsuki Shibuya Click To Tweet

Of all the gifts I received on this retreat, and there were many, the one I found most transformative was the openness of all of the women I met. Each of my teachers generously shared as much as she could, and each of the attendees included me in her conversations, her projects, and her sisterhood. As I think about how a community like this springs up, it occurs to me that we all have an active role in keeping such a safe, creative, and welcoming environment alive.

  • We left fear at the door.
  • We walked in love, in hope, in openness.
  • We sang songs, danced, and let our childlike selves out to play in the company of women.
  • We stepped away from screens and dwelled in the company of one another, and the land and water that held us.
artist community, women artists, mindful art
Rae Hoekstra of www.made-by-rae.com

Mindfully Choosing More Creative Magic

I’ve been thinking about what this experience has to tell me about my life right now. Of course, much of it has to do with slowing down, paying attention to the moment, and choosing more art. These are some of my lessons learned:

  • Getting away to cultivate creative sisterhood feeds my soul. It’s a priority.
  • I need to limit my screen time and invest energy in the things that feed me.
  • There is more space for creative magic and wonder in my life.
  • I can choose to live in an abundant world, giving and receiving openly.
  • Stay focused on the positive. This brings more light to everyone.

 

mindful art, the art of mindfulness, art and mindfulness
What I made in my printmaking class with Penny Dullaghan.

 

mindful art, mindfulness and art, art of mindfulness
One of the many bits of wonder I found on trails around the lake.

 

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Meg McElwee of Sew Liberated practicing some beautiful sashiko mending on her miniskirt. You can find her gorgeous patterns at: http://sewliberated.com  – I want to do this to my jeans! 

My Creative Self-Care

With these lessons in mind, I’ve been changing the way I do things. Some of these new habits may stick, some may change, but experimenting and writing about it are important steps in the process. So here’s what I’m doing now:

  • I’m writing a poem a day on my dry erase board to inject poetry into our family life.
  • I reorganized my studio to feel more welcoming and cohesive.
  • I leave my phone in the other room to minimize mindlessly “checking it.”
  • I keep a question on my art table: Is what you are doing right now feeding your soul? 
  • I gifted a class to a couple of friends at Squam who really moved me.

home art studio, studio organization

There are things I still need to do, such as placing a few reminders from Squam around my home, and pulling together an art date with Squam friends. I know I will do these things though, because I’ve been reminded how much it matters.

 

Mindful Art Resources

  • Mindful Art Studio Classes – Learn to tune into the moment by playing with art.
  • Squam Art Retreats – Fall and Spring retreats on Squam Lake, NH – I’m almost afraid to share this amazing secret!
  • Tory Williams Photography – Her workshop was the BEST class I’ve ever taken. I hope you can see the difference in my photos!
  • Made by Rae – Find lovely patterns for making clothing at all skill levels. She’s the artsy lady pictured above with the glasses.
  • Sew Liberated – Meg is the funky lady making the beautiful patch on her mini skirt, and she also teaches and sells patterns, and blogs about sewing, home schooling, and parenting a child with medical needs.
  •  Penny Dullaghan – See her beautiful illustrations and check out her moving post on parenting and pain.

I’d like to leave you with this image: As I drove away from Squam Lake, down sunlit, winding roads flanked by forests and fields, I felt a pure, warm lightness in me that I haven’t felt in a long time. I carry it now still, and hope I’ve offered some of it to you.

Creatively Yours,

Amy