an art journal of an expressionistic spirit
it's me, it's you in creative fun
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
It all started with an Anthropologie window display. I’m always inspired by the color, textures, and art on merchandise bags. But this display caught my eye, and I’ve been dreaming ever since.
…and for a while this idea was fresh in my mind, until I started painting. I had an old calendar book and it’s been colorful, whimiscal and wonderful!
I’ve got quite a collection.
This spring or summer, my collage flowers will be a book. Each page with its own blooming thought. I want my book to be a silly delight for the spirit. That sounds like a great idea!
As a sweet for Valentine’s Day, I will be painting roses. I’ll be swatching all of my pink paint and mixing viva magenta, working with fluorescent pink, I’m going to study stems and leaves, explore different tools, and work on texture…it’s going to be good. I’m filling out my agenda and will begin the roses project in January and lead up to February.
I appreciate your readership. If you’re here for the first time then please subscribe. If you’re a subscriber, thank you! Tell a friend. Aside from the book, I have a new course coming.
Siempre,
Mireya
Practice isn’t about getting good or great. Practice is about letting go. At some point, there’s this voice and you realize it’s there, always has been. I have sat and sat for hours trying to paint something. Nothing happened. On this occasion, I had one color, one damaged brush, and five minutes.
I’m putting together a creative exploration course with a paper collage. Sometimes I go into the process knowing that I’ll be creating flowers but it’s nice to just use random tools to stamp and blend colors. Then I’ll get an idea and start cutting and arranging. The idea blooms right before my eyes. That’s what happened with the letters M and L.
I like to experiment and paint. I occasionally post on Pinterest. When I do the results are awesome. At one point I had 80k monthly views. I had no plan but to share my work. It worked. I am still learning about SEO. I have ideas. Here’s to more traffic.
I know I’m the artist and I get attached to my work but I shouldn’t. I should only be that spiritual connection that comes as I create. I’m not the end result of my work. Nor am I entitled to the fruits of my labor. My best ideas come when I focus on the moment. For example, I many times have the opportunity to paint with my students. I set up the paint and brushes and wonder what will come of the dried-up dollar store palettes and beyond-bent shapeless brushes. These thoughts have nothing to do with me, my spirit. What is me is curiosity? I’m always curious about what everyone will paint? And every time before my eyes, the children mix up interesting colors, and awesome textures and they are artists. No one gives them permission. They just pick up the brush and go for it.
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.
Creating writing paper by stamping with ribbon? What an idea!
Stamping with a facial sponge creates a rough vintage texture. It’s fun to do this and then paint over it.
This was absolutely random. I used a semi-dry flat brush. I love it!
There are many textures that I painted for paper collage purposes.
What gives me a breeze? Painting is my breeze. Life is a breeze when I paint. I can walk among the trees, be cold in thought and suddenly the warmth of the sun makes my spirit dance. In that moment I am complete. I am free. Then there’s the times when I see the petals of a rose breezing in the sun. It’s these little details that make life a breeze, a breathe of fresh air.
This is the rhythm that reminds you that we are truly one.
Siempre,
Mireya
I wrote this post a week ago and somehow it stayed in draft. Finally here we are.
It’s the holiday season. We are about to begin winter. I can’t wait for spring. Last week I wrote about my obsession with roses. Have these lovely shades of pink always been there? Have they? I could be walking along in thought and suddenly I stop. Pink and peach roses catch my eye.
My next project should be pink roses? I could work on creating pink tones. Ettavee wrote this wonderful post on how to use fluorescent pink. I have been working on painting roses. I have! I am working on the layout and working on flower arrangements. Yes, I can use my art journal for this exploration. Pink Roses is a good book title? Ok there we have it. Pink Roses it is!
I love the pinks in these blooms.
Siempre,
Mireya
Ana & George was my first book project. For a short time, it was published but I stopped selling it because it was too much of a work in progress. The story began with a destined-to-be queen bee. Bellisia wanted to travel the world, and engage with all her worker bees. She wanted to fly with the butterflies and visit all the flowers. Somehow Bellisia turned into a baker bee named Ana.
And slowly all these characters emerged. Each one with a spirit that refuses societal norms. It’s not about being different. It’s a want to be yourself. I kept going back and forth with ideas. I would sit for hours and write. Then throw it away and start over. I loved imagining the characters, letting my mind wander, and writing. I got to be part of the adventure. Painting is my love and my adventure. Every project I work on is an adventure.
I now realize that I let this story go for good reasons. What do I know about writing and illustrating a chapter book? Absolutely nothing. That’s exactly why I had to write it. If it weren’t for this story I wouldn’t have had the courage to write Different Is Beautiful. I have many more poems and stories to write.
I just read Ana & George. It’s been years since I’ve read this story. I thought I deleted it. I’m glad I still have it? Maybe I can turn the book themes and characters into a whimsical thought journal book? What a cool idea! I should do some creative writing while the idea is still fresh in my mind.
Siempre,
Mireya
So I become a better artist by showing up and being present in the experience? I had a watercolor wash that needed loving. It almost went into the trash. Instead, I took an Oval Wash brush and painted. Sure I thought about the blooms I’ve been seeing. They’re big, colorful and encouraging. AND I painted.
Here’s to more work that doesn’t have to go into a book or in the shop. Here’s to work that will be just doodling fun. Here’s to a doodly fun summer!
Doodling fun has to come before the collage class. Doodling fun has to come before the next project. I’ve learned a lot with each project. I should do a review of all the books I’ve written. There’s short stories and poems. Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate them. I do this for me, for my spirit. I know my words and art help you too and that feels good.
I did get to paint for an hour but I didn’t have time to let hours go by. I just gathered my supplies and painted. Out of nowhere candle lid stamps began to bloom. The best art happens when all you have is huge curiosity. You keep creating and find yourself in this flow. I had some left over blue and you know I had to paint another flower. Stamping with a fork, what a great idea.
I am reminded of this video of children painting their ceramic bowls. The video remined me of why artists create. An artist is in deep thought, connected to the idea. There’s no does this make sense. Or my lines are crooked. That is the best place to be. I tested out my new spray bottle with a little water and few drops of India ink Tomorrow I’ll reference my flower sketches to fill in areas with blooms and leaves.
Are you creating one of these? I would love to see your work. Email me or tag me on instagram @creatively.hue
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Time flies when you’re having fun! I just checked and Live Your Love Story is now available. The book is 90 percent the same. I did redo most of the lettering, changed the ending a little and a few minor changes later I am done! Or so I thought. I need to change the cover.
I’ve restocked some prints in my etsy shop.
Different Is Beautiful is looking wonderful. I love the blue tone collection I put together for the front page of my website.
Much more to come. Please subscribe to the tribe. If you do thanks and email me. Let me know what you think of the book.
Have a great weekend!
an art journal of an expressionistic spirit 