Artistic Endeavors Archives | Page 14 of 54

Artistic Endeavors

Art

friday’s art sale preview

I’ve had a few flash sales on Instagram to clear out some paintings, but I haven’t had a proper original art sale since we moved! But, as I shared yesterday, I’ve been painting most days with the intention of having a lot of original paintings to offer in a sale and that sale is happening this week. Since my furniture days, I have been a fan of showing what will be in an upcoming sale along with prices, so potential buyers can have some time to think about it and make sure they have the perfect place for what catches their eye. It also helps to know if there is a piece you want to make a beeline for! Before I show you the works, here are a few tips on shopping the sale. The sale will go live HERE. Paintings will not be visible until noon est on Friday,

February 7, 2023 8 Comments

Art

testimony to practice | encouragement

It wasn’t a formal commitment or challenge explicitly set out, but I decided after Christmas that I wanted to try to paint and/or draw every day. By every day, I mean most days, regularly. And, with just one or two exceptions, I have been at the easel and/or in my sketchbook every day. Some days, it’s just doing a few sketches on the sofa when we’re watching TV in the evening. Most days, though, I take the time to work at my easel, so I can consistently produce oil paintings to sell the originals and provide digital copies for commercial clients to make prints. Even in these few weeks, I am feeling the momentum and seeing improvements. Over the weekend, when I was taking some time to paint a still life, I noticed the paint caked along the edges of my easel. It reminded me of when I first bought

February 6, 2023 13 Comments

Art Supplies

my antique pencil box & what is in it

I have shown the antique pencil box I’ve been using since this spring a few times here and there and I’m almost always asked about it as well as the contents, so I thought I would write a post sharing about it. I mean…any excuse to write about art supplies… It really is a special antique pencil box and, when I spotted it, I knew it was perfect for me. I purchased it from , a specialist dealer in antique art supplies. I like that this antique pencil box is a box instead of a pouch. I love a good pencil pouch, but the pencils and such roll around in the bag and I end up with a lot of broken tips. The box keeps things in place and safe from being jostled around. I’ve collected the contents that fill the antique pencil box for a few years. Some I’ve

January 11, 2023 27 Comments

Artistic Endeavors

customizing a boring sketchbook/notebook

Over the Christmas break, I wanted to take some time for creative play. It’s a meandering that doesn’t have a real purpose but almost always ends up being productive. I was eyeing my sketchbooks in a pile by my desk and decided it was time to do something with those black, faux leather covers. I know, for some people, the exterior of a sketchbook or notebook isn’t a big deal, but I have found that aesthetics are important to me when it comes to creative work. If a sketchbook feels in tune with my style, it’s more enjoyable to work in. The other end of that spectrum is if a sketchbook is too expensive and feels too precious, then I am not as free in it. I put way too much pressure on myself to do “good work” that the purpose of the sketchbook, which is practice, play, and experiment,

January 9, 2023 21 Comments

Artistic Endeavors

Kitchin Sketchbook Wrapping Paper

In April of 2021, I went out on a limb and purchased something that spoke to me in a way that sticks out in all of my years of buying and selling antiques. It was a lot of four antique sketchbooks from the late 1800s to early 1900s by architect and artist George Herbert Kitchin. I bought them from my (now) dear friend, Julia Butler of Ponder & Purchase. You can read more about them HERE. I wasn’t sure exactly what I would do with them, but I knew the possibilities were endless. Aside from my own study and enjoyment of them, it would be fun to share the sketches with others in prints, patterns, and anything my brain can think up. These sketchbooks have led to all sorts of surprising places. I’ve heard from some of George Herbert Kitchin’s extended family, from an author who has written books about

December 9, 2022 47 Comments

Crochet & Knitting Patterns

selbu mitten knitting tutorial | parts three & four

Well, it took me a little while, but I finally got around to editing the final video in the Selbu mitten knitting tutorial. I really hope this is a helpful tutorial for those who, like me, always, wanted to make something like this. You learn so many knitting skills when working on a mitten like this, so it’s easy to move on to other projects like socks, more details hats, and (dare I say) even sweaters! I don’t know if I’ll ever have the patience and perseverance to make a sweater, but I like little projects like mittens and socks that take a few hours and still look pretty impressive. In case you missed it, you can find the first two parts of this Selbu mitten knitting tutorial below… Selbu Mitten Tutorial Part 1 | Materials, Working on Double Pointed Needles, Casting On, & Starting the Cuff Selbu Mitten Tutorial

October 12, 2022 6 Comments

All Things Home

for the love of antique portraits…

One thing I want more of in our next home is antique portraits (or studies of new old portraits.) I have always loved how antique portraits look in a home, so when I first started working with oil paints about five years ago, I imagined painting portraits to hang in my house. It took me a while to get there, but I eventually did a master study of Manet’s Morisot and I was hooked. She wasn’t perfect and certainly not as masterful as Manet’s version, but she was an original oil portrait painting hanging in my house. I even had an antique frame that fit her perfectly. I then had a chance to work with French Art Shop and ordered an antique portrait of a young boy. I always thought that antique oil portraits were wildly expensive (and they can be), but they can also be a reasonable investment. Something

September 5, 2022 34 Comments

Photography

my DSLR camera gear & tips | creative business

This week, I was asked to give recommendations for a “real camera” and lenses. As I started answering the question, I decided digging up an old post I wrote about my camera gear and sharing that link would be a more thorough answer, but then I saw that post was 11 years old! Yeah, I need to write an updated post sharing about my camera gear, why I have each piece of kit, how I use it and offer some tips when you’re shopping for a DSLR camera and using it to shoot interiors and products. To start off, let me say that I shoot Nikon, so those are the products I will recommend. I know many people prefer Canon, so if that’s your preference, you can find comparable camera bodies and lenses. Both brands are excellent and it really does come down to preference. It is nice to

August 25, 2022 13 Comments

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

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