Mastery… I’ve been thinking about that word a lot lately and have been challenged by it as I’ve been reading books like Essentialism and The Creative Habit. If I had to draw a diagram of my creative journey, it would probably look more like a spiderweb than a straight or even meandering path that heads in one direction. And, I … Read More
number one
On my @marianparsonsart Instagram, I shared my very first oil painting along with this caption… Number one. This was my first attempt at oil painting just over two years ago. You can see my tentative use of the paint. The barely-there stippled cloud declares my uncertainty. The mishandling of the colors and weak composition show my lack of knowledge and … Read More
“cover bands don’t change the world”
I love Todd Henry’s quote from the Accidental Creative podcast, “Cover bands don’t change the world. Don’t be a cover band.” Initially, I took the quote at face value. Right. Do your own thing. But I’ve been thinking about it a lot more lately and getting a little deeper with it. It really is not simple or easy…mostly because the … Read More
is there room for you?
“One tree is like another tree, but not too much. One tulip is like the next, but not altogether. More or less like people – a general outline, then stunning individual strokes…” – Mary Oliver I read this in a book of essays by Mary Oliver last evening and immediately had to put the book down and write my own … Read More
be a moving target
Inspiration can be a beautiful thing. It’s a spark that catches and can carry you through enormous projects. It can drive you, fill you, and lead you into the places of dreams. But, it can also be fickle, inconstant, and shy. It can disappoint, be elusive, and untimely. We can sit around a long time waiting for the inspiration to … Read More
#indexcardartproject completed & what’s next…
Well, I finally finished the #indexcardartproject! It’s about a month late, but that’s okay. It really didn’t need to be completed in a set time and I found I didn’t want to rush through it. I was enjoying these little studies and I didn’t want to miss the lessons along the way, simply because I was hurrying. One reason it’s … Read More
linen shades & art sale
First off, the winner of the Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint birthday giveaway is Traci (butterflyoct)! Congrats! Almost a year ago, I made some linen shades to filter light in my studio. And that project turned into having the shades reproduced and sold on Decor Steals. Well, they are back today! I hung one in my kitchen to show what … Read More
designing fabric & papers for spoonflower
A few weeks ago, I shared that my second quilting fabric collection with FreeSpirit Fabrics wasn’t going to be produced. (You can find that post HERE.) Thanks for all of your encouragement on that, by the way! The brief feeling of failure that comes with any news like that quickly shifted into excitement. This means I can take my designs … Read More