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Artistic Endeavors

Art

Original Oil Paintings Available at Lucketts

Late last summer, I received a message from some Instagram friends I met through the Lucketts Fall & Spring Markets.  “Would you like to sell some of your original oil paintings in our space?”  I had considered getting a booth to sell some original oil paintings in antique frames, but I would get overwhelmed at all of the logistics and set the thought aside.  Maybe I will one day, but this offer gave me an opportunity to test the waters without having to fill a booth myself and be present all three days.  So, I said yes and partnered with Tim & Jodie of The Past Restored.  (You can see the finished paintings in THIS post.) I was able to finish four paintings in antique frames, and here is how they looked in their booth last fall. I actually didn’t get to see my paintings in the space in person

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a slice of life

refillable ballpoint & rollerball pens

I’ve been promising this post on Instagram for a while, and it’s finally here – a round-up of beautiful, refillable, and relatively affordable ballpoint and rollerball pens.  I say relatively affordable because, like fountain pens, rollerball and ballpoint pens can get very, very expensive depending on the brand and materials used.  I never thought I would spend more than $20 on a “nice pen”, much less over $50 or $100, but I have been wooed into the world of beautiful writing instruments and now I’m hopelessly in deep.  I have come to believe that anyone who is an artist or writer should have at least one special pen that is a delight to use and speaks to them. A few years ago, I shared some affordable fountain pens ranging from $5 – $85.  You can find that post HERE.  I use fountain pens often for drawing and writing, but I

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Art Supplies

the colors currently on my palette

I started painting with oils over seven years ago (in the fall of 2017), and my palette has evolved over that time.  I think this evolution is a natural part of the process of finding oneself as an artist.  Being one who loves color, paint, and trying out new art supplies, I was quick to buy way more colors than I needed!  In addition to buying colors I was curious to try, I bought any colors recommended in books and by artists teaching online classes.  I think it’s a natural tendency to think that if you use the same tools and colors as Sargent, Payne, or Seago, perhaps you’ll paint like them.  I felt like that to some extent, but then I read a line in a book that was a great reminder that often a simple, limited palette is best.  The author pleaded with the reader not to buy

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Artistic Endeavors

beach photos with 70-200 Sigma lens

It’s been over five years since I bought a new piece of camera gear.  As I grew as a photographer, I kept upgrading my camera body and lenses so my gear could grow along with my ability.  When I’ve taught photography workshops over the years, I would discourage fledgling photographers from going out and buying a bunch of new gear.  Use and get to know what you have, even if it’s just the camera on a smartphone, and you’ll know when they are ready for an upgrade.  When I thoroughly knew a camera, had an understanding of its capabilities and deficiencies, then I knew I was ready to look into an upgrade.  I’ve ended up with two DSLR camera bodies (Nikon D800 and D810) and a range of lenses geared towards shooting products and interiors.  The lenses I use most are a 50mm Sigma, followed by a 35mm Nikon.  I

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Art

March 28, 2025 | original art sale preview

My next original art sale is scheduled and happening this Friday, March 28, 2025, at 1:00 pm Eastern.  In this original art sale, I have pieces ranging from 5 x 7 ($75) up to 12 x 16 ($500.)  Animals, landscapes, seascapes, still life, and a couple of master studies are all included in this collection.   I’ve also included vintage frames on a couple of pieces.  There are two pieces I painted in acrylics for a painting workshop I taught at our church.  I was planning on painting over them in oils, but I sort of loved the looseness of them.  I found myself wanting to leave them as is, so I followed that instinct. As usual, this post is a preview of all of the available works including sizes and pricing, so you have a few days to think about a potential purchase.  Let me know if you have

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Art

free oil painting paint along | geraniums in terra cotta pot

I filmed this oil painting tutorial over a year ago and, for some reason, never edited it!  I think it felt a little overwhelming at the time and abandoning it seemed to be easier than getting it ready to post.  I’ve had more requests for painting tutorials and paint-a-long videos, so I decided to finally dust this off and post it.  In most cases, the painting videos I make have been and will continue to be tutorials with instruction and commentary included.  When I filmed this, I just had my music on and was intending to record and add the commentary.  I didn’t do that at the time, so I don’t recall exactly what colors I was mixing over a year later!  So, this oil painting video has some commentary at the beginning and is then just classical music.  You can paint along with me or just watch how I

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Art

#indexcardartproject 2025 | free oil painting tutorial | index card “D”

If you’re just joining us for the #indexcardartproject of 2025, you can catch up in these posts… Details & Materials for the Project Inspiration and References Oil Painting Tutorial | Card “C” In this post, I’m sharing another oil painting video tutorial.  Instead of using an Edward Seago painting as a reference, we’ll be painting from one of my own reference photos.  It’s available for free on Artist Reference Photos (and all of the photos are royalty-free if you want to sell the work.) My recommended beginner palette –  Ultramarine Blue (Gamblin) – $13.42 Burnt Sienna (WN) – $14.00 Yellow Ochre Light (WN) – $13.50 Cadmium Yellow Medium (Gamblin) – $28.00 Flake White Replacement (Gamblin) – $9.75 Other supplies –  Gray Paper Palette Liquitex Professional White Gesso A mix of flat synthetic and hog’s bristle brushes.  I get most of my brushes from Rosemary & Co. but brushes are very

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Art

#indexcardartpoject 2025 | free oil painting video tutorial | card “c”

For those who have been waiting for another paint-a-long video, this post is for you!  I am going to film painting a few of my index cards since they are great little studies for beginners, those new to oil paints, or those who want to do a little painting exercise with me.  For this card, card “C”, I’m painting a quick and loose study of an Edward Seago painting. If you’re just hopping into the 2025 Index Card Art Project, you can get all of the details HERE. This is the Edward Seago painting we’re studying, although it becomes more of a loose interpretation and less of a study as I get going! I’ll be posting the exact colors on my palette in a separate video and blog post, but if you’re new to oils, this is the beginner palette I would suggest.  I do use a touch of red

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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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