Artistic Endeavors Archives | Page 35 of 55

Artistic Endeavors

All Things Home

picture ledges

There are some decorating decisions you make that look nice and you think they will function well, and then they don’t. Such is the case with a few areas in my studio. I shared the overall plan HERE and we will start rearranging the furniture and working on those larger projects soon, but I’ve started on some of the smaller changes. One of those changes was making this skinny wall between the two doors work a little smarter… I hung two bulletin boards with the intention of pinning resources, inspirational pictures, color charts, etc. I’ve pinned this and that, but I never really use it. I also realized the top bulletin board was too high for me to reach all but the lowest part of it, so it remained mostly empty. With wet paintings leaned up all over the studio, I really needed some picture ledges to use for paintings

February 3, 2019 109 Comments

a slice of life

curiosity killed the cat…

…but I am not a cat. And neither are you. When I was on my creative retreat last March, there were a few themes that kept coming up. They were from different authors and podcasters and, if I heard them more than once, it really made me take notice. Enthusiasm, showing up, schedule, and routine were some of those themes. Another one was curiosity. Since then, I’ve heard curiosity brought up in many creative business podcasts. Follow your curiosity. Be curious. Stay curious. I even heard it in a sermon about cynicism. One way to combat cynicism is to be curious…to not assume the outcome, but to approach life with a sort of wonder. “What would happen if…” It’s the triumph of hope over experience. (Does anyone recognize that period drama reference?) I realized, as I’ve been listening to all of this talk about curiosity, that I meander through my creative

January 18, 2019 51 Comments

All Things Home

the Carlisle & the Hanover

Remember the Dash & Albert rug design competition that happened back in the summer of 2017? Well, samples of the rugs were made, approved, and now they are finally for sale on the Dash & Albert website! If you remember, both of these designs were based on elements of an antique coverlet I bought a few years ago. The Hanover rug is the all-over coverlet pattern in a repeat, simplified to work for a rug… …and the Carlisle is an enlarged section of the border. They are named after two towns in Pennsylvania – Hanover and Carlisle. I found the coverlet in an antique shop in Carlisle and I often frequented antique stores in Hanover, so those names seemed fitting. Here is the Hanover in my office… That was just the sample and I now have a smaller version of it in our guest bathroom downstairs. And here is the

December 18, 2018 23 Comments

Art

no. 100 & manet master copy

In case you don’t follow me on Instagram (or you missed it), I wanted to share that I finished number 100 of my #100oilstills series! It’s pretty amazing to think that I have painted over 200 oil paintings in the last year, especially since it’s just a side hobby. And, I was so pleased that number 100 turned out as well as it did and I could clearly see how all of the hours put in at the easel between numbers 1 and 100 have paid off. One of my followers on my art Instagram account said it was like a bouquet of yellow fireworks, celebrating the achievement. I loved that description of it. As a comparison, here is number 1 and number 100 side by side. Since progress is my goal, I would say that goal has been met. I have continued doing still life paintings since I have

October 23, 2018 58 Comments

Art

one year of oil painting

I really wanted to write this post on the one-year anniversary, but I was in Italy on that date and have been posting mostly about my trip, so I missed the boat. I really didn’t want to let this milestone pass without a post about it, so better late than never. After about a year of dabbling with watercolors and sketches, I started oil painting in earnest last September. I had purchased most of the materials a few months earlier and they had been languishing in a drawer, mostly because I felt intimidated by using oils. I didn’t know how to use them or even how to clean up after using them. It is something I dreamed of doing, though. I wanted to be an oil painter and it’s impossible to be an oil painter without painting with oils! An instructor I took a watercolor class from, Michelle Wooderson, wanted to

October 10, 2018 39 Comments

a slice of life

French Inspiration

Last week, I shared that I was heading to France and Italy in September. In fact, it’s just under two weeks away now and I am positively giddy about it. I find it hard to even focus on the things I need to work on now, because my mind keeps drifting to my upcoming trip and how much I want to soak it all in. Instead of fighting the daydreaming, I’ve been allowing it in moderation and I will even admit to feeding it with books and Instagram feeds. So, I thought I would share some of the inspiration I’ve found as well as some more details about my preparations and plans for the trip. We will be spending the bulk of our time in Italy, but that is the “work” (if it can seriously even be called that) portion of the trip and we’re a part of a group

August 28, 2018 102 Comments

Art

RAFA & Oil Paintings

The last couple of days have been busy with birthday parties, Mayo Clinic visits, house keeping, and back to school shopping, so I haven’t had much time for home projects or for posting here on the blog! I thought I would pop in, though, just to give an update on my oil painting. I started oil painting last September and the journey has been such a gift to my creative soul. I don’t paint with any grand aspirations. I paint because I love it and I’m thoroughly enjoying the progress I am seeing in my work. The excitement at the visible progress keeps me coming back for more. I still have so far to go, but I am “getting it” more and more with each painting and book and tutorial. I decided a few months ago that I would like to further nurture this new love and take an art

August 15, 2018 25 Comments

All Things Home

a new love for dip pens & other found art supplies

I have found a new favorite thing… dip pens. Yes, they are completely impractical by modern standards and you have to get used to the rhythm of stopping to dip your pen every couple of lines, but there is something about the scratching sound on the paper and the grace of the delicate nibs that captivate me. I recently bought the D Leonardt & Co Drawing & Mapping set and it comes with a nice wooden nib holder, a small tin for storing nibs, and five nibs made for drawing and mapping (as opposed to calligraphy nibs.) It’s a great set and I’m hooked. Now, I’m on the hunt for antique dip pens, inkwells, and nibs. I actually had an antique inkwell with a sterling lid that belonged to my great-grandmother. I didn’t know it was a inkwell until I started searching for antique ones on Etsy and eBay. I

June 5, 2018 20 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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