Tag: "how to be an artist"

Expressive Flowers

Words By Corita Kent

Mireya

Don’t Belittle yourself. Be BIG yourself

Corita Kent

Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail. There’s only make.

Corita Kent

Have you read Learn By Heart: teachings to free the creative spirit? I didn’t know that target sold this book. I will have to buy it. I read it for free on hoopla . It is a great read. This book gave me the courage to continue with my no-right way to paint a flower exploration. I’ve painted and created over 500 blooms. I’m going to paint more!

On Saturday I went to the Arts District and walked through an art exhibit. My favorite work was, ok a collage piece but really it was this room. There was a window. That window led my eyes to an artist’s studio. There were flat paint brushes and a large easel. There was no canvas on it but a canvas drop was just waiting for a mess. On the other side of the room, I could see windows. The room was dark and just now as I write, I am overcome with a sense of wishing I could be in that room. I’ll be in my room tomorrow. You see that room, the brushes and the paint, I am in the room. Every time I paint it’s just me and my ideas. It’s simply my glorious creative spirit. Art encourages you to open up, open up to your spirit. Isn’t it beautiful! Creating allows you to look inside yourself. You learn to trust yourself. You can break away from societal norms, and unchain yourself. Be free.

Expressive Flowers

Art takes time

Mireya

collage

stamping with acrylic paint and a candle lid

watercolor wash

blending and layering with watercolor

collaging over painting mistakes

You can say yes to all your ideas. It’s art. There’s no wrong. Art takes time. I’ve had a wonderful time creating with students. All their ideas were amazing. That’s the voice we should always listen to. Did I really get to spend five glorious days teaching art? Oh yeah, I’ll be smiling for days! Truth be told, I was the student. You don’t need fancy tools. You just need YOU.

Every time we say we can’t, it’s an outside force. We were born with a notion of yes I can.

These three blooms went through many phases. It was good. It was ok. Now it’s great. All along as I mixed I could have gone down two paths: this is awful I’m throwing it away or I have no idea what I’m doing but I want to try this. All of a sudden you’re on fire and the next thing you know it’s a where did that come from. AWESOME.

Not knowing is the best place to be.

Siempre,

Mireya

Expressive Flowers

A poem about minding your business

Mireya

Frost your cakes while you’re doing a dance

Stamp with eye glasses

Wait for no one to give you a chance

Paint copy paper

Cut and paste a field of blooms

Giving love, there’s nothing greater

Design with blue, orange and hot pink

Pour your paint in the middle and turn the table

What are they going to think?

That isn’t your business.

With your florals, painting a car or a house of bliss

Now that’s your business!

Alright, hope you liked my poem. This week I have been inspired and motivated to further create my art. The blooms I painted today…amazing! By the way, the siempre means always in Spanish. Not my idea but when an email sender ended her note like this, what a reminder to always be you.

Siempre,

Mireya

Expressive Flowers

About going through old work

Mireya

three golden yellow blooms in acrylic paint
an apple a day quote with collage green apple

Going through old work gives me clarity. I can clearly see play versus I want this to look right. I have blogged about this topic a number of times. Yet I find myself comparing and not being a true fan of my work. Yes, I love to paint. Yes, I am a natural born artist. We all are. I don’t mean that I should walk around with a crown but yes be proud of my work in that childlike manner. Children don’t have any clue about oh this is the best or it’ll make millions. Children are brilliant. They are simply curious and happy to paint! When you observe your work, you will catch yourself admiring like you would another artist’s work. You can constructively judge your work.

I painted the apple at least a few years ago, but the idea is right. This is the colorful, playful, be yourself artwork that I want more of.

With Love.

Mireya

Creative Exploration

White Blooms (oh the lessons I’ve learned)

Mireya

I have been trying to paint these white roses. Oh, that’s right I want to look up a few How-To’s. Why did I throw these out again? Oh, right I didn’t like the green. The white and orange isn’t bright enough. I have another background. I’ll paint white blooms over it. So, ok I’ve painted four editions of white blooms, but I’ve learned too.

I keep trying to paint the awesomeness of Carrie Schmitt. Her work is beautiful. The truth is those are her brush strokes not mine. Maybe if I stop painting like someone else, I can actually paint my blooms.

I have an idea! Those blooms with these words will be in the book:

White is…what comes to mind are these white roses I see them here and there on my daily walks. I can’t help but wonder that I should be feeling what I feel every day of my life. I’ll stop, adore the color. With every breathe a voice reaches inside me, what an idea, let’s do it because yes, it’s all possible. It’s the nature made orange yellow stigma and white petals that remind me of every element in this world. It’s all such wonderful color. What if, how much better would our lives be, my life be if I choose to live with it!

This book is a process and I’m enjoying the ride!

Creative Exploration

Exploring tools to paint blooms

Mireya
Testing different tools to paint flowers

Erasers, ink, brush handles, pens, pencils…. I like the idea of taking an ordinary object and making something extraordinary. Stamping with tissue paper was fun last night.

Painting helps you learn all these lessons.

Flowers are pops of color.

Or should it be pops of happy? Both

Creative Exploration

On working on a project

Mireya
Why isnt’t this a print?

A 6 x 6 book size? Can I publish a book that size on KDP? If I want a book that size, I’ll make it happen. The book I am talking about is A World Full of Color. I’ve been reading and writing and what a book! I am excited to keep working and even more excited to share the book with you.

As I write this post a news segment of Designercon plays. A designer proudly shares the story behind her colorful backpacks. A new thought for the book? Write it down and see how it all comes together. The stuff I threw away because it left me unmotivated gave me a fresh start. It always works out.

From 11/15-11/20 you can get 35% off of everything in my shop.

Creative Exploration

About a Valentine’s Heart leaf tree

Mireya

This is more of a note to self but I suppose there are others in this world who need these words too.

Left over Valentine’s hearts?

It was an idea from the start!

Teacher said green, blue, yellow or brown

The students painted with black, purple scribbles and lines

Would the tree turn out fine?

What would other teachers say?

But the children, not once did I hear is this is ok?

There were moments of look at my work.

Friendships were mended.

Quiet voices transcended.

It was like a spanish word and its accent

How does one make a masterpiece?

Tune out the noise.

Place with posie

Serves me right, well

For the chilren, I mean artists, are the swellest of the swell.

They know that a Valentine is a leaf with heart.