expressive art – an art journal of an expressionistic spirit

Roses-Oh Let It Be

March 15, 2023March 16, 2023 Mireya

I’ve been watching artists create beautiful art with random tools. I used to paint like this! Used to? I wrote There’s No Right Way to Paint a Flower. Seems I’ve forgetten the delight of having the time to listen to the voice. The voice is always here. All we need to do is let the moment be. I posted about this on someone’s instagram post. Beautiful art is about putting you in your art. It’s the way you hold the brush or not use a brush. Art is about your weirdness. Art is the the way you dance, the rhythm you carry. I want to paint all the time because I want to. Art just is for me. It’s my breath of fresh air.

I was deleting old work photos on my phone. I found my paper roll flowers! There’s a thrill in not knowing what the flower will look like until you’ve finished.

learning to paint flowers with fun tools

Back to these roses

Here’s a breakdown of what I used:

sponge brush to blend paint
watercolor paint
watercolor pencils
stamp (Stamping with paint is awesome! Make sure you have your art rag nearby so you can wipe the sponge clean when you’re done stamping)
brush pen
white acrylic pen
flat brush
round brush
mixed media paper

I think that’s all for the supplies. I created a step-by-step idea pin here. I selected a tool. An idea came with it! I painted! I added a little magenta to the green and then a little yellow. I love this shade of green! I use my art rag to dap the wet paint off the paper so I could repaint it. I was all, let me fix this instead of just letting it be. I love the advice someone recently gave me. There’s no good or bad.

What’s your favorite tool? A few days ago, I roamed the isles of a Dollar Tree. I’m browsing Amazon and Blick for flat brushes and an art journal. Have any ideas? Thanks and if you enjoyed this post then subscribe to this blog. Tell a friend.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Expressive Flowers, Roses Project

Roses-Keep Working

February 22, 2023February 21, 2023 Mireya

Let me begin with how fun and motivational my paper collage wildflowers are! I’ve been creating and collecting them in a folder. I took out the folder and began reading them not knowing what to expect. My wildflower thoughts made me laugh and smile. I now have an introduction letter for the book. And just like that, my wildflowers collage book is coming together! I love when this happens. That brings me to the white vase flower arrangement I painted. Like my wildflowers, this arrangement is fun inte,resting and I painted it! How about a little poem?

Differences

Let go of all that is no good.

By the almighty, you are understood

The trees

the breeze

with every dance

they love your stance

Pick up the brush

make a mess

don’t settle for anything less

Have fun!

You’ve only just begun.

The YOUs that make you interesting

That’s the biggest bling

Never hide your face

Because you are the difference that makes this word a wonderful place!

…just a quick poem. Sometimes I realize, I’m good at poetry. Would you like to see more poetry? Let me know in the comments below. This poem and this painting will go into the book. What a beautiful start!

Quick notes for these roses

pink is my hero
Reuse old art. Save it. Fix it.
Working with three colors is best.
Hopeless moments are the defining moments
Layers

Oh, if you’re curious I will be creating a video of all of my wildflowers. I’ll let you know when I post it on Pinterest.

Siempre,

Mireya

Expressive Flowers, Roses Project

Roses-sketching with Crayons

February 19, 2023February 18, 2023 Mireya

For this session, I got out my crayons and swatched them. That made me smile and excited to draw! My set is missing a few blues, pinks, and greens but I didn’t care. I was smiling inside and ready to draw! I picked up a crayon and sketched the photo I was referencing. The title of the photo was rosy pink. I was feeling rosy and pink.

I did a second sketch. I tried to Layer and blend. I broke a few crayons in the process. I’m going to work with watercolor tomorrow. Crayons are fun but painting has my heart. Crayons are great for sketching and planning color schemes. Maybe I should get a Crayola educational watercolor set?

Quick question? Have you ever done a painting-a-day challenge? Comment below. Thank you for reading. I’m going fully into this roses project. I’ll be posting every Wednesday, Sunday, and sometimes more because I have much to share. Make sure you subscribe and tell a friend.

Siempre,

Mireya

Expressive Flowers, Roses Project

Roses-Gratitude

February 14, 2023 Mireya

I got dressed this morning in a pink floral blouse and a pearl-like necklace. As I put on a neutral pink lip gloss I wondered. What will I wear tomorrow and the day after that? Shouldn’t I always enjoy the day no matter the season or festive day? Ok, we can’t always go home with a huge envelope of treats and cards. But we can choose love every day! Valentine’s Day is about love, right? Who assigned love to the heart shape as we know it anyway? These are the thoughts that sometimes boggle my mind. Anyway, today I want to kick off the start of something wonderful. I have been doing sketches and although crayons are fun, it’s not the same as making a mess. I love the color mixing I’ve been doing. In the words of Lizzo, “It’s about time!” Thank you for being a fan. Thank you for being a teacher. I recently opened up comments. Your kind words have been amazing! Thank you my blooming beauties! That’s right Creatively Hue has found a name for its fans. I have the roses project. There’s the wildflower thoughts project. I haven’t forgotten the creative exploration with paper collage course.

If you haven’t subscribed then please do. Invite a friend. Comment below about what you are grateful for? Share the project that you are working on?

joy

Blooming thoughts for a wild spirit, Expressive Flowers

Valentine’s Day Thoughts

February 12, 2023 Mireya

Your mind is the most important, most powerful tool we have. Going for walks and seeing the beautiful flowers and everything in nature invigorates my mind with the words of a Super Bowl athlete about to embark on the game of his life.

We have everything we need to win. We can win. All we need is to have the right mindset. If we didn’t win, it’s because we didn’t have the right mindset.

By the way the quote isn’t word for word but I get the love! I worry sometimes but it’s like live in the moment! Just paint. You got this! I do! And I have one more blooming thought for a wild spirit.

Siempre,

Mireya

Expressive Flowers, Roses Project

Roses-Color Tips

January 20, 2023January 21, 2023 Mireya

How about applying the color tips I read about yesterday? Yes! I referenced a few photos of, you guessed it, my favorite expressive abstract floral artist, Carrie Schmitt. Instead of painting today, I will observe the tips I’ve learned.

You can download your copy at the link above. Or, I’ll share the tips with you.

Color Tips

Group your colors

How about a field of pink flowers surrounded by a turquoise background? Turquoise will make my vibrant pinks stand out.

Enhance color by adding it’s opposite

Use a dark saturated color surrounded by an unsaturated very light and slightly warm tone. How about Magenta flowers with pistachio leaves.

Make one color the hero

Use one color and make it pop! How about one orange fish surrounded by blue ocean waves? Orange roses with mint green leaves. Ooh, I like it! What color would the background be?

Use color to move the eye

Have a beautiful red rose somewhere on the page. Then add a few small red flowers here and there to bring the work together.

These are simply my notes from Nicolas Wilton’s Free PDF. I’m so glad I found it. Oh, I almost forgot the tip I’ve used. Choose a main color. Mix a little of that color with the rest of your colors to create unity. I have been looking for the missing puzzle piece. I may have found it! Tomorrow, I’ll sketch and build a color palette. I’ll be painting for my shop. Well, see how it goes. I haven’t forgotten about the turquoise roses.

Have any color tips? Feel free to comment below.

Siempre,

Mireya

Roses Project

What color describes my personality?

January 19, 2023 Mireya

Well…let’s see…my favorite colors are blue and lately, it’s pink. Deeply, I appreciate all colors. Spring and summer are such beautiful seasons. Fall is lovely as well. De Colores is a good song. If I were to choose one color it would be turquoise. Turquoise is from the earth. It’s compassionate, creativity, power, mindful, spiritual and brings good energy. I do try. I’m not perfect. Maybe I should paint turquoise roses! I will. My roses project was such a good idea. One idea leads to the next.

If you’re curious, I did paint a rose today. It was the last rose on my page. I took another look at the rose I painted yesterday, and I don’t want to share that again. Now I have a new page and I’ll paint turquoise roses tomorrow.

Siempre,

Mireya

Expressive Flowers

Earliest Painting Memory

January 3, 2023January 3, 2023 Mireya

My earliest memory is finger painting and making a mess! I’ve loved art every day of my life.

I still like to make a mess!

Here I am stamping with an eraser. It’s Corita Kent, James Victore, EttaVee, Shantell Martin…who opened my spirit to an art that has me understanding, this has always be me. I am an artist!

I’ve been going through all of my art and penciling in projects. Beginning next week I will start using these prompts to share my roses project. Is it next week?

Siempre,

Mireya

Expressive Flowers

Last Thoughts of 2022

December 31, 2022December 30, 2022 Mireya

I was working on this post yesterday and accidentally hit publish before I was done. Now that I’ve cleared that up let’s get into the last thoughts of 2022.

Runner’s up

three blooms in a ceramic pot-painted with mixed media

Oh right, I’ve been sketching floral arrangements!

I archived my work

I went through all of my art files and read all of my book projects. It was nice to be inspired by my own work! It’s good to review your work and see how you’ve grown. Sometimes I lose sight of what I’m doing and then I read one of my books and go oh, that’s why. On the days when I can’t paint or feel like I’m an imposter, I look at old work and surprise myself with an awesome piece.

I’ve written over 1000 posts

This is not all in one year but I have written 1000 posts and over 36,000 words. I want to write more stories. Writing is one of my favorite hobbies. My first story was about Ana & George. Three stories later I wrote Different Is Beautiful. This year I wrote For a Colorful Life. I recently read Live Your Love Story. It’s a fun quick inspirational read. I’m working on a new book. Do I know what I’m doing? My work makes my spirit dance. That means I’m doing something right. Oh, I started writing poetry this year!

It’s been a wonderful year! I thank all of you who reach out to me with your comments. Here’s to all that’s to come! That’s tomorrow’s post.

Siempre,

Mireya

Expressive Flowers

Textures of 2022

December 28, 2022December 28, 2022 Mireya

One of my techniques is texture. I love the surprise of trying a random tool to see what happens. These are the ideas that satisfy my curiosity.

Stamping with a candle lid is one of the best texture ideas I’ve ever had. I don’t want to say best because there are many more textures to come.

The textures that come from stamping with a paper roll are random and beautiful. Oh, this makes me think of the ceramic pitcher at Anthropologie. I’ve got to work more with this kind of texture.